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2009 FAOFAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)Ongoing conflicts continue to intensify food insecurity Civil conflict and weather-related shocks have severely stressed food security in 2016, increasing the number in need of food assistance, according to the Crop Prospects and Food Situation released today. The report highlights 39 countries that are in need of external assistance for food.

8 December 2016, Rome - Civil conflict and weather-related shocks have severely stressed food security in 2016, increasing the number of countries in need of food assistance, according to a FAO report. The new edition of the Crop Prospects and Food Situationreport, released today, highlights 39 countries that are in need of external assistance for food.

While the outlook for global cereal supplies is improving due to generally favourable growing conditions for crops, the legacy of recent droughts persists, as do the negative effects of a spate of conflicts.

Agricultural forecasts suggest robust grain harvests are on the horizon, but hunger will likely intensify in some regions during the lean seasons before the new crops have matured.

In Southern Africa, where El Niño effects sharply curtailed food production in 2016, the number of people requiring outside assistance from January through March 2017 is expected to significantly increase compared to the same period a year ago. Child stunting rates are "significantly high" in the most troubled areas, notably Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique, the report notes.

In some regions, inadequate stocks of cereal and legume seeds due to two consecutive poor harvests may limit plantings. FAO and governments are implementing agricultural support programmes to improve access to key farming inputs.

Conflicts cast a long shadow on food security

To facilitate humanitarian response planning, the report identifies the primary causes of local food crises. These range from exceptional shortfall in food production and widespread lack of access - due to low incomes, high prices or disrupted distribution networks - to the impact of conflicts on local food security conditions.

Civil conflicts and their consequences, including refugee movements that are burdening host countries such as Cameroon and Chad, are cited in 21 of the 39 countries. Widespread conflict can lead to the loss and depletion of households' productive assets, as in Central African Republic, and to security concerns that hinder farming activities, as in South Sudan.

In parts of South Sudan, improved harvests are likely to have only a short-lived effect as ongoing conflict has reduced the ability to engage in agriculture, posing extra risks for the most vulnerable communities.

Continuing civil conflict in Syria has led to 9.4 million people requiring food assistance. This year's wheat production is estimated to be around 55 percent below its pre-crisis level. The ongoing conflict in Yemen has likely increased the number of food-insecure people from the 14.2 million people assessed in June, the report said. The recent escalation of conflict in Iraq is triggering a widespread internal displacement. Acute food insecurity affects more than 8 million people in Afghanistan and their numbers are likely to increase with the return of around 600,000 refugees from Pakistan before the end of 2016.

The number of food insecure people in Nigeria is above 8 million and is projected to increase to 11 million by August 2017. The ongoing conflict in northern states curtailed plantings, while the sharp depreciation of the Naira currency has raised domestic food prices and affected regional trade as more Nigerian cereals are exported while fewer livestock are imported.

Agricultural trends appear poised to improve after rough 2016

Droughts and weather effects linked to El Niño triggered significant crop shortfalls in 2016 in several countries. Africa's aggregate cereal production declined in 2016 despite some sub-regional gains, notably in West Africa and the Sahel region, which is on track for a record cereal production. Maize output in Southern Africa decreased sharply, severely stressing food security conditions.

Poor harvests triggered sharply higher prices for staple maize in Malawi, where 6.5 million people are expected to be food insecure during the upcoming lean period. On a positive note, with El Niño over, preliminary estimates point to a 27 percent increase in maize plantings for South Africa's 2017 crop, by far the region's largest producer.

While much of Asia benefited from robust food production in 2016, led by a sharp recovery in India, the impact of long-running conflicts in several Near Eastern countries continues to severely depress agricultural production despite generally beneficial weather conditions for staple grain crops.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, expectations of a production rebound in Central America in 2016 are welcome, following the drought-affected outputs in the previous year, while the 2017 planting season in South America is off to a favourable start after a reduced 2016 crop mostly due to droughts in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/458126/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/458126/icode/Thu, 08 Dec 2016 10:00:00 GMTEmergency seed distributions help Haitian farmers grow for winter harvest With little time to lose to secure a winter harvest in Hurricane-struck Haiti, FAO has begun emergency distributions of seeds and tools to help disaster-affected families produce food and restore livelihoods lost in the country’s biggest humanitarian crisis since the 2010 earthquake.

6 December 2016, Rome− With little time to lose to secure a winter harvest in Hurricane-struck Haiti, FAO has begun emergency distributions of seeds and tools to help disaster-affected families produce food and restore livelihoods lost in the country's biggest humanitarian crisis since the 2010 earthquake.

Hurricane Matthew struck in October during Haiti's second main harvest time, causing losses to agriculture of $580 million and striking a major blow to the country's food security.

Family farming −a primary food source for most Haitians− took an especially heavy blow in the hurricane that wiped out 90 percent of the country's harvest.

The latest food security assessment conducted just after the hurricane showed that some 1.4 million people are in need of food assistance. Out of this number, more than 800 000 people are in urgent need of food aid and some 600 000 base their livelihood exclusively on agriculture.

In the heaviest-hit areas −including Grand'Anse, parts of Nippes, and Sud departments −over 75 percent of the population is struggling with the effects of the hurricane, as livelihoods based on agriculture, livestock and fisheries were almost completely destroyed.

"Hurricane Matthew not only eliminated the last harvest - it also compromised the upcoming planting season and the country's ability to feed itself. That's why it's so important we act now and in a robust way," said Nathanael Hishamunda, FAO Representative in Haiti. "These communities need urgent support to prevent them from adapting survival strategies that put them into a vicious cycle of dependence, including eating seeds meant for producing food in future harvests," he added.

To address both immediate and long-term food needs, FAO is collaborating with the World Food Programme (WFP), which provide food aid to the same families that receive FAO emergency seeds as planting materials. This ensures farming families can use the seeds distributed for growing vegetables to recover their livelihoods and feed their communities in the months to come.

Last week alone, in the presence of Haiti's agriculture minister Pierre Guito Laurore, FAO has begun distributing emergency supplies to some 22 500 people in Marfranc, one of the hardest-hit parts of Grand'Anse department. These communities received 15 tonnes of seeds that will produce an estimated 75 tonnes of green beans and 90 tonnes of lima beans for hurricane-affected families. These short-cycle crops are ideal in emergencies as they provide food quickly. In an effort to reboot sweet potato production, farming communities will further benefit from the distribution of over 2.2 million sweet potato cuttings for planting in the winter growing season.

In all, FAO emergency intervention for the winter staple crop season and short-cycle horticultural crops will have, by mid-December, reached 25 050 households −125 250 people− in the most affected departments of Haiti, including 5 400 households in Grand'Anse, 15 150 in Sud, 2 000 in Nord-Ouest, 1 500 in the Artibonite, and another 1 000 across Sud-Est and Ouest. FAO is also providing immediate assistance to 1 500 fisher families and 2 500 herder families.

Longer-term support plan

Haiti's agricultural spring season starting in April 2017 will be crucial. The spring season traditionally makes up 60 percent of Haiti's annual production and is the main source of food for rural households along the year. To achieve this, FAO will provide both seeds and tools, as well as cash transfers, technical training and extension services. Other activities will support markets rehabilitation and strengthen local market value chains. The same support will be extended to livestock owners and fishers who have lost their assets and productive capacity, ensuring equal benefits for affected men and women.

Many livestock keepers lost valuable animals in the hurricane and with it important sources of milk, meat and income. The destruction of pastureland, meanwhile, is limiting the availability of feed for their remaining livestock. In response, FAO plans to vaccinate and treat livestock, restock diminished herds and help livestock farmers produce fodder to keep their animals healthy and productive.

FAO will also distribute fishing equipment, such as fishing lines and hooks, engines and gear, to fishers who have lost their livelihoods in the hurricane.

Funding needs

Of the $9 million FAO required for immediate assistance to 300 000 hurricane-affected people, $5.6 million is still missing to provide immediate crop, livestock and fisheries support.

To support the longer-term recovery and resilience of Haiti's farming communities, FAO has developed a 12-month response plan that targets 600 000 severely food insecure people. Of the $30 million required under the plan, only 1.5 million has been received so far.

"There is a Creole slogan within the department of agriculture - Agrikilti-a kapab fè goud la gen plis vale - that says farming holds the potential to boost Haiti's economy and its currency. And we need the international community to come closer together now to help farmers fulfil that potential," Hishamunda added.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/456668/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/456668/icode/Tue, 06 Dec 2016 09:00:00 GMTUN food agencies call for urgent action to address southern Madagascar’s worsening food insecurity Farmers in southern Madagascar, hit by three years of devastating drought, urgently need more support so they can plant crops in time for the December and January planting seasons, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said today.

FAO/WFP Joint News Release

Rome/Antananarivo, 18 November

- Farmers in southern Madagascar, hit by three years of devastating drought, urgently need more support so they can plant crops in time for the December and January planting seasons, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said today.

They stressed that more funding is required to provide this support and help address southern Madagascar's worsening food insecurity.

FAO will start distributing plant cuttings and seeds next month, targeting some 170,000 farming families in the most food-insecure districts of the south. At the same time, these same families will receive food or cash as part of an ongoing WFP relief programme so they can sustain themselves until the next harvest in March/April. WFP has been distributing food to people in the areas of greatest need since June and cash in places with functioning markets since July.

"The planting season offers a small window of opportunity for local farmers to restore agricultural production. Thousands of families are already facing hunger. Missing the planting season now will result in a serious food and livelihood crisis, and render their situation even more desperate," says José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General.

Some 850,000 people - about half the population of the south - are facing hunger and need urgent humanitarian assistance, according to latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) findings. These indicate that food and nutrition security could deteriorate even further in coming months unless humanitarian action is rapidly scaled up. Overall, some 1.4 million people are estimated to be food insecure in 2016/17 in the three southern regions of the island.

FAO is sourcing sweet potato and cassava cuttings as well as a variety of drought-tolerant seeds for smallholder farmers to plant. Tools will also be distributed and support offered to families with livestock.

"As I saw recently in the south of Madagascar, farmers are in a dire situation," says WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin. "But, through a joint response, our two agencies can begin to turn this situation around, not only by providing immediate relief but by giving communities the means they need to feed themselves."

While WFP and FAO have secured funds to help launch their joint planting assistance programme, they cannot reach all the drought-hit farming families without more funding. Out of $22 million needed, FAO has only received $4.5 million. WFP's drought relief operation, which runs till March 2017, is facing a $50 million shortfall out of a total of $82 million required.

The lack of sufficient rains brought about significant declines in the production of maize, cassava and rice production in the south of the island earlier this year. Meanwhile, rising prices continue to reduce people's purchasing power and erode the food security of the most vulnerable. Many households have adopted survival strategies, eating less often, consuming seeds, and selling animals, agricultural tools and even land.

Farmers will also receive tools to replace those that may have been sold during the current extended hunger season. Support to livestock production will also be provided through supplementary feeding of livestock and animal health-related activities.

WFP responseWFP is scaling up its ongoing food and cash relief operations to reach nearly 1 million vulnerable people by the end of this month. At the same time, WFP is expanding its nutrition programme to prevent and treat malnutrition among more than 200,000 pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under five, while continuing to assist some 230,000 school children with daily hot meals.

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About FAO FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews.

About WFPWFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media, @wfp_mena

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/453663/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/453663/icode/Thu, 17 Nov 2016 23:00:00 GMTSyria food production at all-time low Food production in Syria has hit a record low as widespread insecurity and unfavourable weather conditions in parts of the country continued to hamper access to land, farming supplies and markets, making it ever more difficult for farmers to maintain their livelihoods and feed the war-torn country.

FAO/WFP Joint News Release

15 November 2016, Rome - Food production in Syria has hit a record low as widespread insecurity and unfavourable weather conditions in parts of the country continued to hamper access to land, farming supplies and markets, making it ever more difficult for farmers to maintain their livelihoods and feed the war-torn country.

The latest Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) shows that after five years of conflict many farmers have lost the ability to cope. Rising prices and scarcity of essential inputs such as fertilizers and seeds mean they will have no other option than to abandon food production if they do not receive immediate support. This will likely have grave consequences not only for the food security of farming households but also on food availability in the country, and may ultimately lead to further displacements.

Cereals at an all-time low

The area planted to cereals in the 2015-16 cropping season is the smallest ever, according to the report, based on field visits and surveys across the country.

Farmers planted an estimated 900,000 hectares of wheat in the last year, compared to 1.5 million hectares planted before the crisis. Production, meanwhile, shows an even more drastic decline, from an average 3.4 million tonnes of wheat harvested before the war to 1.5 million tonnes this year - a decrease of 55 percent.

Because the ongoing crisis and associated sanctions have disrupted trade and markets, access to quality seeds, fertilizers, machinery and fuel needed to operate pumps and tractors is limited. Those inputs that are available on local markets are frequently overpriced and of dubious quality.

Poor rainfall and the destruction of valuable irrigation infrastructure has made matters worse for growers trying to continue to produce food under adverse circumstances. In some instances, this has led farmers to switch from cultivating valuable and nutritious crops to hardier but less nutritious ones.

At the same time, the assessment showed vast differences among the governorates in terms of access to land and agricultural inputs − a sign of possible opportunities to intensify support to producers in areas that are relatively accessible.

"Today, we see almost 80 percent of households across Syria struggling with a lack of food or money to buy food - and the situation is only going to become worse if we fail to support farmers so they can maintain their lands and livelihoods," said Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa. "Agriculture was the main source of livelihood for rural households before the crisis and it is still producing to a certain extent, but it is stretched to the maximum and farmers have largely exhausted their capacity to cope," he added.

"The food security situation of millions of people inside Syria continues to deteriorate with more than seven million people classified as food insecure across the country having exhausted their life savings and no longer able to put food on the table for their families," said Muhannad Hadi, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and East Europe. "WFP and FAO are working together to invest in more livelihood projects in agriculture as the most effective way to address food insecurity in the long term."

Effects on livestock

Livestock producers are equally feeling the effects of the crisis. With the upkeep of their animals becoming ever more difficult and costly, many herding families have been forced to sell or slaughter their sheep, goats and poultry.

Ongoing fighting and widespread insecurity continues to limit access to grazing land and water sources, while animal feed has become unaffordable for many pastoralists. This is particularly true in areas with large numbers of internally displaced people who brought their livestock with them when fleeing their homes. The country's veterinary service, meanwhile, is rapidly running out of animal vaccines and routine drugs, making it harder for herders to keep their animals healthy and productive.

As a result, Syria - once an exporter in livestock - has seen its herds and flock shrink significantly since the beginning of the crisis. Today, there are 30 percent fewer cattle, 40 percent fewer sheep and goats, and a staggering 60 percent less poultry − traditionally the most affordable source of animal protein in the country.

Price hikes and disrupted trade

General shortages and cuts in fuel and some food subsidies have added to rising inflation and depreciation of the Syrian pound − from 395 to 530 per USD − further limiting Syrians' ability to afford essential imports.

Over the last 12 months, prices of agricultural and livestock products increased. Due to economic sanctions, market disruptions and the declining value of the Syrian pound, prices of farming inputs have risen sharper than final products. As a result, farmers are incurring heavy losses.

Transportation bottlenecks and fragmented markets prevail, as producers, transporters and traders are facing extremely high costs and security risks. This has resulted in surplus supply in the northeast while the west largely relies on imports. Urgent support is therefore also needed to connect in-need communities with surpluses in other parts of the country, including by purchasing local stocks for food assistance deliveries.

Increased supply, thanks to newly harvested crops and airdrops of food assistance into the besieged city of Deir Ezzor, brought down the price of wheat flour by 12 to 15 percent in several key markets in June 2016. But wheat prices were nevertheless between 40 and 50 percent higher in June when compared to the same period last year.

Critical response

Because the conflict has greatly reduced the government's capacity to procure and distribute high-quality seeds at subsidized prices, many farmers are being forced to deplete their seed stocks, borrow from relatives and neighbours, or purchase expensive seed from the market.

To help families continue to grow food and raise livestock, FAO in 2016 has so far supported over 500,000 people with distributions of cereal and vegetable seeds, live poultry for backyard farming, animal feed and vaccination campaigns.

Since 2011, the conflict has displaced close to 11 million people, with 4.8 million fleeing to neighbouring countries. Many of those internally displaced within Syria have been displaced multiple times.

WFP provides food assistance to more than 4 million vulnerable Syrians every month inside Syria. About 30 percent is delivered to besieged and hard-to-reach areas across Syria through cross-border and cross-line deliveries.

A large share of Syria's livestock farmers are among those who moved to safer areas, bringing their livestock with them. For crop farmers across Syria, however, few options remain but to try to continue working their fields or alternatively abandon their only source of income for an uncertain future among the millions seeking safety in increasingly overburdened host communities elsewhere.

According to the latest household surveys, some 9.4 million people across Syria are in need of assistance - some 716,000 more than in September 2015. The governorates with the biggest increase of people in need are Quneitra, Dara'a, Damascus, Idleb, and Aleppo.

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About FAO

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews.

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media, @wfp_mena

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/452217/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/452217/icode/Tue, 15 Nov 2016 09:00:00 GMTFAO and OIE present initial battle plan in global campaign to eradicate Peste des petits ruminants The ground has been broken on a major international initiative to rid the world of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) – also known as sheep and goat plague – a highly viral animal disease that causes major losses in regions home to millions of the world’s poorest people.

28 October 2016, Rome/ Paris - The ground has been broken on a major international initiative to rid the world of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) - also known as sheep and goat plague - a highly contagious viral animal disease that causes major losses in regions home to millions of the world's poorest people.

The $996.4 -million plan launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) today is the first phase of what will be a 15-year effort to eradicate PPR by 2030.

"Wiping out PPR will have a major positive impact on the lives of pastoralist communities in all developing countries and directly support global efforts to end poverty and hunger by 2030," FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said about the plan. "When it comes to viral animal diseases, much attention falls on the threats they pose to human health -- but their effects on economic growth, human livelihoods, quality nutrition and food security can be equally devastating. That's why this campaign needs wide support," he added.

"We have international standards for surveillance and diagnosis of PPR, a global system to report outbreaks, and standards for vaccines that are highly effective when applied appropriately," OIE Director-General Monique Eloit said. "We also have international standards to prevent spread through trade, to officially recognise the control programmes of our Members, and their status as free when those programmes achieve success," she added. "So all the tools are available to us, and are integrated into the plan. Its successful implementation now relies on the capacity of Veterinary Services at national level -- the OIE is committed to provide them with ongoing support."

Major losses

Since it was first identified in Côte d'Ivoire in 1942, PPR has spread to some 70 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia -- in September 2016, Mongolia reported its first-ever case of PPR. Over 80 percent of the world's sheep and goats are found in these regions, where many families rely heavily on products like goat milk, mutton and wool for their nutrition and livelihoods. FAO estimates some 300 million small-scale farming families worldwide depend on small ruminants for food and income.

To illustrate, a recent outbreak in India alone caused $180 million in losses, while a series of epidemics in Kenya in 2006-2008 killed 1.2 million small ruminants, causing losses exceeding $23.5 million and a drop in milk production of 2.1 million litres.

In all, the annual global damage due to PPR is estimated to be between $1.4 and $2.1 billion.

While the disease is highly lethal to small ruminants —killing up to 90 percent of infected animals— it is easily preventable with inexpensive vaccines that can be administered at low cost and will protect the animal for its entire life.

The virus also has a relatively short infectious phase and does not survive for long outside a host, making it an ideal candidate for a concerted eradication effort.

The plan for the first five-year phase of that effort is now ready to be put into action and consists of a global strategy backed by nine regional road maps.

How it works

The initial portion of the campaign is focused on countries where PPR is known to exist or where its status has never been assessed. It will involve activities to raise awareness among farmers, build their capacity to prevent and contain the disease, strengthen national veterinary health services and systems for control of PPR and other diseases, and implement targeted vaccination campaigns.

But the plan goes beyond disease eradication alone- it also aims to improve national production models and help herders build the strongest, most resilient livelihoods with their animal resources.

With this approach, the agencies are looking to harness the potential of animal husbandry as a path out of poverty and valuable source of nutrition for poor families.

Together, FAO and OIE will coordinate the global efforts of governments, regional organizations, research institutions, funding partners and livestock owners through the Joint PPR Global Secretariat, based in Rome.

Replicating the success of the rinderpest strategy

It is not the first time FAO and OIE join forces to rid the world of a costly plague. The PPR initiative is modelled on the successful effort to eradicate rinderpest, a similar disease affecting cattle, buffalo and wildlife, with global declaration of freedom in 2011. It was the first time an animal disease had been eradicated worldwide.

The agencies' work on rinderpest not only showed that eradication of a major animal disease was possible and cost effective but also increased interest globally in how such efforts could be replicated to address other high impact diseases.

Meeting growing demand

With the world population set to rise to over 9.7 billion by 2050, small ruminant production is expected to rise with growing demand for meat and milk, growth that is generating new opportunitiesfor producers, processers, and sellers. With that comes stronger interest from governments and industry to make supply chains more reliable and the movement of animals safer.

A pledging conference to secure financial support for the first five-year plan will be organized early next year.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/449168/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/449168/icode/Thu, 27 Oct 2016 22:00:00 GMTCrop losses in southern Madagascar mean severe hunger likely to persist into 2017 The lack of sufficient rains in the southern region of Androy alone resulted in an 80 percent decline in maize production this year compared with the already reduced levels of 2015.

27 October 2016, Rome - The impact of severe El Niño-induced drought on crop production in southern Madagascar, where nearly 850 000 people are acutely food insecure, is likely to persist into 2017 and requires an intensified humanitarian response.

The lack of sufficient rains in the southern region of Androy alone resulted in an 80 percent decline in maize production this year compared with the already reduced levels of 2015.

Prolonged drought also seriously affected the production of another staple food, cassava, in both Androy and another southern region, Atsimo-Andrefana, where cassava production dropped by approximately half. People living in these areas have been hit by successive droughts over the last few years and their hunger situation is expected to remain severely stressed into 2017.

Meanwhile, parched conditions in the regions of Atsimo-Andrefana, Boeny, Melaky, Betsiboka and Ihorombe had a significant negative impact on rice production; with production declines of between 25 and 60 percent reported in these regions, according to a new FAO/World Food Programme (WFP) report released today based on data collected in July/August 2016.

1.4 million people food insecure

Recently updated figures show how the impact on agricultural production has undermined human food security. Some 1.4 million people are estimated to be food insecure in 2016/17 in Madagascar's three southern regions of Androy, Anosy and Atsimo-Andrefana. Of these, around nearly 850 000 are acutely food insecure -- meaning they are not able to meet their food needs and require urgent humanitarian assistance, according to the most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis for Madagascar.

Rising prices continue to weigh on the purchasing power of people in general and aggravate the food security of the most vulnerable. As a result, households are reducing consumption of locally produced crops and adopting survival strategies such as consuming seeds, selling their animals and agricultural tools and increasing their consumption of nutritionally inadequate wild foods, such as red cactus fruits. Overall, these conditions reflect a spike in the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity compared with the previous year.

Impact of drought on national crop production

The drought in Madagascar's southern regions has reduced the country's overall domestic production of maize and cassava. National maize production for 2016 is estimated at 316 000 tonnes, down 4 percent compared with the harvest in 2015 and 19 percent below the average. Cassava production, estimated at 2.6 million tonnes, decreased by 16 percent versus the recent five-year average.

National rice (paddy) production benefited from good rains in the centre, northern and western parts of the country - the main rice producing areas - and is estimated at about 3.8 million tonnes in 2016, some 2.5 percent above the previous year, but still some 5 percent below the five-year average.

FAO's response

WFP and FAO are working together to target severely food insecure households with food and livelihood support, but are also ensuring that the most vulnerable households such as those headed by women and the elderly, or landless people, will not be disadvantaged. It is essential that livelihood support begins immediately in order to take full advantage of the forthcoming planting season in November.

Farmers will also receive tools to replace those that may have been sold during the current extended hunger season. Support to livestock production will also be provided through supplementary feeding of livestock and animal health related activities.

To date out of the $22 million needed for FAO's relief interventions, only $3.8 million have been secured.

This funding is urgently needed to ensure farmers do not miss the coming planting season. Local agriculture must be restored to avoid long-term dependence on food assistance.

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/449030/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/449030/icode/Wed, 26 Oct 2016 22:00:00 GMTFood security of 800,000 Haitians seriously threatened after passage of Hurricane Matthew Some 1,4 million Haitians require food assistance in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, which wrought widespread devastation on supplies and crops across large swaths of the island nation. More than half – 800,000 people – are in dire need of immediate food aid, according to an emergency field assessment.

Joint CNSA/WFP/FAO news release

24 October 2016, Port-au-Prince/Rome - Some 1,4 million Haitians require food assistance in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, which wrought widespread devastation on supplies and crops across large swaths of the island nation. More than half, 800,000 people, are in dire need of immediate food aid, according to an emergency field assessment.

Conducted by the Government of Haiti, the National Coordination for Food Security (CNSA), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) the week after the hurricane, the assessment confirms the pressing need to provide immediate food assistance and help people to start rebuilding their livelihoods.

In the Department of Grande-Anse, agriculture has been virtually wiped out, warehouses have suffered serious damage, and the availability of local produce is now reduced to fruit fallen from trees. Around 50 percent of livestock were lost in some areas of the department.

On Haiti's southern coast, fishing activities are paralyzed due to nets, traps, boats and engines being washed away by flooding. As a result, income that families might use to buy food is nearly nonexistent. Meanwhile, losses of subsistence crops in the Department of Sud have been near total. Almost 90 percent of the department's forest and fruit trees were severely damaged; the remaining 10 percent are not likely to be productive this season.

"Local products on the markets will soon be depleted and we need more funding in order to continue food distributions to help 800,000 people in need of food aid which is more than urgent," said Miguel Barreto, WFP's Regional Director in Latin America and the Caribbean.

"The winter season crop is fast approaching. Agricultural producers have lost everything. If we don't act now to provide them with seed, fertilizer and other materials they need, they will not be able to plant and will be faced with persisting food insecurity," saidNathanaël Hishamunda, FAO's Representative in Haiti. He stressed the Organization's commitment to working together with the Ministry of Agriculture to implement its emergency response plan, focused on helping people resume agricultural activities and improving food security in rural areas.

Widespread impacts

Grande-Anse and Sud were not the only departments where food supplies and agriculture took a hit, the emergency evaluation shows.

In the Department of Nippes, the communities of Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, Baradères, Grand-Boucan, Plaisance-du-Sud, Asile, Petite-Rivière-de-Nippes have been severely affected, with almost 80 percent of their crops destroyed.

In the Department of Artibonite, the worst-hit town was Anse-Rouge but the four municipalities making up the District of Saint-Nicolas Mole (Bay of Henne, Bombardopolis, Jean Rabel, Mole Saint-Nicolas) were also affected. The hurricane destroyed from 60 to 90 percent of crops in this area, and livestock, a common activity in northwest Haiti, also registered substantial losses, with 60 to 80 percent of livestock wiped out.

Impacts to agriculture across the Department of Sud-Est were also widespread. Some 25 percent of maize crops are estimated to have been lost; between 60 and 90 percent of other crops have been damaged. Nearly 60 percent of fishing equipment was damaged or lost with trade-related losses estimated at around 40 percent.

The CNSA is calling for effective coordination of responses through strong institutional mechanisms, good monitoring and evaluation systems, and consultation in order to ensure consistency, transparency and efficiency.

The humanitarian community in Haiti urgently needs $56 million to meet the food assistance needs of people affected by Hurricane Matthew over the next three months.

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AboutCNSA

CNSA is a state entity established in 1996 to guide public policies to sustainably improve the food security of the Haitian people. Specifically, CNSA undertakes the following tasks: defines, directs and harmonizes interventions by actors in the food security sector in Haiti; monitors and evaluates the national food security situation and the results of field programs and projects; disseminates information on the evolution of food security and forms opinions on the subject; translates policies and strategies into operational plans for food and nutrition security.

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.

About FAO

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. Present in Haiti since 1978, FAO supports the government through technical cooperation and agricultural development activities aimed at improving food security and the resilience of households.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/448035/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/448035/icode/Sun, 23 Oct 2016 22:00:00 GMTWorld Food Day highlights that climate is changing and that food and agriculture must too The World Food Day 2016 slogan: Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too underscores the fact that to feed a global population expected to reach more than 9 billion by 2050, humanity needs to produce more food, but in ways that use up less natural resources and that drastically reduce loss and waste.

14 October 2016, Rome - The resounding message from this year's World Food Day celebrations in Rome and in many countries is that climate change, hunger and poverty must be addressed together in order to achieve the sustainable development goals set by the international community.

"Higher temperatures and erratic weather patterns are already undermining the health of soils, forests and oceans on which agricultural sectors and food security depend," FAO Director-General José Graziano said at the global World Food Day ceremony here today.

Droughts and floods are more frequent and intense as are climate-related outbreaks of diseases and pests, he added, citing the terrible impact of El Nino in parts of Africa, Asia and Central American and more recently, Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.

"As usual the poorest and the hungry suffer the most and the vast majority of them are small family farmers that live in rural areas of developing countries," the FAO Director-General said, noting how adaptation and mitigation to climate change is fundamental, and that this requires "much better access to appropriate technologies, knowledge, markets, information and investments."

The World Food Day 2016 slogan: Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too underscores the fact that to feed a global population expected to reach more than 9 billion by 2050, humanity needs to produce more food, but in ways that use up less natural resources and that drastically reduce loss and waste.

Political will

In his address, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi stressed that the fight against hunger is essentially a political issue. "Italy maintains that the fight for food security is, at this point in history, a question of politics with a capital ‘P'," he added.

Prime Minister Renzi said that the international community needs to urgently address the problems of inequality and injustice. Italy would strive to ensure that these themes are at the top of the international agenda, including at two important events in March next year: the G7 summit, which Italy will host and preside and a meeting of European Union leaders.

Renzi noted that Europe should reject a "culture of waste". Italy recently passed a new law aimed at curbing food waste, one that was based, "more on collaboration and less on punishment".

Another keynote speaker at today's ceremony, Princess Lalla Hasnaa of Morocco, whosecountry is hosting next month's COP22 climate talks, said these would be "action-oriented" and geared towards implementing the Paris Agreement.

"The Moroccan Presidency will seek to nurture and promote the spirit of mobilization which prevailed in Paris in terms of increasing climate funding, developing expertise and ensuring the transfer of technology. It will lay special emphasis on adaptation, primarily for the countries of the South and for Small Island States." Princess Hasnaa said.

Pope urges solidarity with "climate refugees"

In a special message read out at the ceremony, Pope Francis linked the impact of climate change on the planet's fields, fisheries and forests to migration of people from rural areas of developing countries. "The most recent data tell us that the numbers of ‘climate refugees' are growing, swelling the ranks of the excluded and forgotten, who are being marginalized from the great human family," the pontiff said.

"From the wisdom of rural communities we can learn a style of life that can help defend us from the logic of consumerism and production at any cost, a logic that, cloaked in good justification, such as increasing population, is in reality aimed solely at the increase in profit," he said.

Pope Francis expressed concern that a growing number of actors in agriculture "believe they are omnipotent, or are able to ignore the cycles of the seasons and to improperly modify the various animal and plant species, leading to the loss of variety that, if it exists in nature, has and must have its role".

What may "give excellent results in the laboratory may be advantageous to some, but it can have ruinous effects for others." He stressed that in dealing with such issues, the world should rely more on the wisdom that farmers, fishers and pastoralists "conserve in memory handed down through generations".

UN Special Envoy on El Niño and Climate, Macharia Kamau, for his part urged for the need "to build stronger solidarity, stronger actions, better partnerships and innovation, including insurance schemes that protect families and take risk out of humanitarian response" programmes.

"The 2030 agenda, at its core, is an agenda for fighting poverty, making sure there is no hunger, and food is there for everybody. And nothing threatens that more than climate change," he said.

"We must change the way we approach food and agriculture. Part of that change is ensuring rural smallholder producers are more resilient than ever before to the impacts of a changing climate," said Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). "If we are ever to break the cycle of poverty and hunger, our attention must be focused on these smallholder producers who are the source of food for their families and communities, but are vulnerable to the effects of climate change."

Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP) for her part said: Climate change is already stretching the international humanitarian system financially and operationally, so moving beyond disaster relief to managing risk is an urgent task for all of us. More than 80 percent of world's hungry live in areas prone to natural disasters and environmental degradation. Climate change is not waiting, neither can we."

Mayors Summit

On World Food Day, FAO is also hosting the second Mayors' Annual Summit where mayors and senior officials from more than 45 cities will discuss progress made in meeting the goals of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. The pact calls on cities to develop more sustainable and equitable food systems, end urban hunger, promote healthy diets, reduce waste and conserve biodiversity while adapting to climate change and mitigating its effects.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/446764/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/446764/icode/Fri, 14 Oct 2016 14:00:00 GMTTimely seed distributions in Ethiopia boost crop yields, strengthen communities’ resilience Ethiopia is about to complete one of the largest and most successful seed distribution campaigns in the country’s history, aimed at helping farmers to stay on their feet in the face of a blistering drought caused by El Niño, FAO said today.

7 October 2016, Rome - Ethiopia is about to complete one of the largest and most successful seed distribution campaigns in the country's history, aimed at helping farmers to stay on their feet in the face of a blistering drought caused by El Niño, FAO said today.

More than 32 000 tonnes of seed have been distributed to around 1.7 million food and nutrition insecure households across Ethiopia's six major regions by the Government, FAO, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other humanitarian agencies.

FAO has coordinated this massive campaign in close collaboration with the Government. These joint efforts have enhanced preparations for the critical summer meher planting season, from which an estimated 85 percent of Ethiopia's food supply is derived.

FAO's impact on household food consumption

To date, FAO has directly distributed close to 4 000 tonnes of seed to 168 000 households. An estimated 78 000 hectares of land have been cultivated and will likely yield close to 170 000 tonnes of crop production.

With an estimated average of one tonne of crops per household per annum, or about 0.2 tonnes per person, the beneficiary families may now be able to meet their minimum food requirements for at least eight to ten months.

The El Niño-induced drought resulted in two failed planting seasons in 2015 in heavily agriculture-dependent Ethiopia, decimating household seed supplies across the country and severely compromising national food security. The drought led to 10.2 million people requiring emergency food and livelihoods assistance at the start of 2016. It is now estimated that around 9.7 million Ethiopians still require assistance.

Making a difference in the livelihoods of Ethiopia's farmers

A recent FAO assessment concluded that the emergency seed distribution operation will have a significant positive impact on the 2016/17 harvest.

"Projections are that Ethiopia's 2016/17 harvest will be average to above average - a massive achievement coming on the heels of one of the worst droughts in recent memory," said Amadou Allahoury, FAO Representative in Ethiopia. "Both the Government and humanitarian agencies moved quickly to assist communities impacted by the drought crisis, an effort we are proud to support," he added.

FAO conducted the assessment in August and September 2016 in areas that were most impacted by the drought, with particular focus on the heavily crop-dependent regions of Amhara, Oromiya, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples and Tigray. About half of the beneficiaries from randomly selected households surveyed after the distribution indicated that their livelihoods would have been in jeopardy had they not received emergency seed for the meher cropping season.

"I thought that I would not be able to plant any wheat this year. When the village committee notified me that I would receive seeds I was so relieved that I would be able to continue to work my land and feed my family," said Mitiku Tefera, a smallholder farmer in Werababo, South Wollo, located in the highlands of Amhara region.

Over 93 percent of beneficiaries reported that agricultural inputs had been distributed to them on time for the 2016 meher season and that they received their preferred type of seed. Critically, they overwhelmingly reported that the seed was of good quality.

"While input distributions were essential for the cropping season and enabled farmers to plant, it is now critical to continue building their resilience to withstand climate-related extreme events. These are becoming more and more frequent - a ‘new normal' in Ethiopia and more generally in eastern Africa" said Dominique Burgeon, Director of FAO's Emergency and Rehabilitation Division, following his visit to the worst drought affected areas.

"Pastoralists have also been badly hit, and efforts must be accelerated to protect their livestock, particularly core breeding stock, in order for families to rebuild their livelihoods," Burgeon added. FAO undertook a comprehensive livestock response, including providing emergency fodder seed, feed along the migratory routes, water point rehabilitation and animal treatments and vaccinations.

Future work and needs

It is estimated that Ethiopia needs an additional $45 million for the crop and livestock sectors to rehabilitate affected farmers and pastoralists, bringing the total requirement for the country's agriculture sector to $91.3 million since the beginning of 2016.

The bulk of this funding, about $36.2 million, aims to support animal health activities, such as vaccinations and treatments, with more than 2.4 million livestock-dependent households now requiring assistance until the end of the year.

As of October 2016, FAO mobilized about $14 million to respond to the crisis. The Organization is urgently requesting an additional $14 million to support livestock-dependent families in affected regions until the end of 2016.

In order to boost the resilience of crop and livestock-dependent communities, FAO is currently developing a resilience strategy for Ethiopia to support the Government and partners' efforts with technical expertise and capacities.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/445286/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/445286/icode/Fri, 07 Oct 2016 07:00:00 GMTMigration should be an act of choice and not a desperate last resort “A necessary first step is to address the factors that lead to distress migration,” FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said during the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants. “We must create the opportunities for rural people in developing countries to stay in their home.”

19 September 2016, New York-Bolstering the opportunities that allow rural people in developing countries to remain at home is a critical component of any plan to tackle the contemporary migration crisis, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.

"A necessary first step is to address the factors that lead to distress migration," he said today during the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants."We must create the opportunities for rural people in developing countries to stay in their home."

While that is ultimately a collective effort, investing in sustainable agriculture and rural development is an integral part of any solution, Graziano da Silva said.

Large-scale cross-border movements in recent years have sparked tensions in some countries, placing migration high on the diplomatic agenda and front and center at talks this week in New York.

While migration has throughout history been a driver for development, the cost becomes too high when people find that leaving their homes is their only alternative, Graziano da Silva said.

"Migration should be an act of choice, and not a desperate last resort," Graziano da Silva said.

FAO's playbook for rural resilience

A starting point for effective action is rural areas in developing countries, where more than 75 percent of the world's poor and food insecure live.

Such people are highly vulnerable to conflict, persecution, poverty, lack of employment, inequality, environmental degradation and climate change, each and all of which can "quickly chip away at their capacity to provide a decent life for their families," Graziano da Silva said.

FAO promotes measures aimed at building resilience and fostering development in countries where many of today's migrants originate. Ensuring adequate access to land and water, empowering women, and promoting financial inclusion to boosting family farming, paying special attention to rural youth's needs and prospects, and strengthening social protection schemes that can serve as buffers against shocks are among FAO's key priorities.

Facts and figures

There were an estimated 244 million international migrants in the world in 2015, a 40 percent increase since 2000. At the same time, internal migration flows are even larger, involving an estimated 740 million people in 2013. Forcibly displaced persons number roughly 65 million, more than a third of whom are refugees or asylum seekers.

More than half of all rural households in many African countries report having at least one member who has migrated away.

While refugees from conflict situations are often highly visible, 87 percent of people in conflict zones do not flee their homes despite facing severe food insecurity. And almost all of those that do end up in developing regions, with the largest host countries being Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ethiopia and Jordan.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/434127/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/434127/icode/Mon, 19 Sep 2016 17:00:00 GMTNo peace without freedom from want Food security and agriculture have an essential role to play in preventing conflicts and crises on the African continent, blunting their impacts and acting as engines for post-crisis recovery.

27 August 2016, Rome/Nairobi - Food security and agriculture have an essential role to play in preventing conflicts and crises on the African continent, blunting their impacts and acting as engines for post-crisis recovery.

This was the central message of FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva to African leaders and international development actors gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, today for one of the foremost summits on African development.

"Ending hunger and malnutrition, addressing humanitarian and protracted crises, preventing and resolving conflicts, and building peace are not separate tasks, but simply different facets of the same challenge," Graziano da Silva said at a side-event on ‘Peace and Food Security', hosted by FAO, at the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI, 26-28 August 2016).

Graziano da Silva was among the high level delegations who attended in the opening ceremony of TICAD VI, this morning, launched by the President of the Republic of Kenya and the Prime Minister of Japan. The conference --which brings together policy makers, UN agencies and financial institutions, among others -- aims to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and their partners and mobilize support for African-owned development initiatives.

The link between conflict prevention and development is of particular importance in the region, which is host to nearly 60 percent of active UN Peacekeeping Missions. And whilst armed conflicts across Africa as a whole have decreased in recent years, this trend has been uneven across the continent.

"Much of FAO's work aims at promoting sustainable development and building the resilience of rural populations," Graziano da Silva said, giving concrete examples of countries where agricultural support helped secure the transition from wars to sustainable peace, including Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"By supporting agriculture and rural development, we help create jobs, provide income and boost youth employment. This can help prevent distress migration and radicalization, as well as mitigate disputes over depleted resources," he said.

No peace without freedom from want

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, FAO has worked with partners on the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (D-D-R) of former combatants by providing them with the agricultural skills, knowledge and supplies - an approach proven to lower the risk of ex-combatants rejoining militias once they are empowered with access to food and income-generating activities.

Graziano da Silva underscored the many opportunities to replicate this strategy in other post-conflict situations and stressed recent conversations with leaders in the Central African Republic aimed at putting agriculture at the center of the country's recovery by providing food security and jobs for rural youth.

"Conflict prevention and resolution require secure and resilient conditions that meet the needs of rural people, both in terms of nutrition and livelihoods," he said.

In two other examples, FAO and partners are working in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia to support the peaceful use of natural resources and prevent the spread of transboundary livestock diseases, while in the Sahel, pastoralism and the economic empowerment of rural women are central parts of the agency's roadmap to increase resilience in the region.

Food security, stable livelihoods and peace are interdependent, Graziano da Silva argued, referring to the words of FAO's founding fathers, who professed that "Progress toward freedom from want is essential to lasting peace."

Launch of new nutrition initiative

In this context, FAO also welcomes the launch today at TICAD of the Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa (IFNA) to accelerate international efforts to alleviate hunger and malnutrition on the African continent.

Over the last 25 years, the proportion of Africans facing hunger decreased from 28 to 20 percent, despite a growing population - an achievement that can be largely attributed to a high level of commitment of the continent's leaders to tackling the issue.

The new initiative, officially launched by the Deputy President of Kenya William Ruto and developed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, aims to build on these achievements with inclusive, people-centered projects - projects that empower women and bring together the agriculture, health, education and private sectors to help build more resilient communities across Africa. This will be done with the collaboration of regional organizations including the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD).

The initiative is also relevant in light of ongoing efforts to implement the recommendations coming out of the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) across Africa (Rome Declaration on Nutrition and Framework for Action), which will be boosted by IFNA. In this regard, FAO joins forces with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Rights & Emergency Relief Organization (UNICEF), the International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD) and other partners through the (ICN2) Steering Committee on Nutrition (SCN) for future action.

TICAD -- which takes place every three years -- is co-organized by the Government of Japan, the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (UN-OSAA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), African Union Commission (AUC) and the World Bank.

This year's session marks the first time the conference takes place on African soil. FAO was enlisted by TICAD organizers to take the lead in organizing the conference's third main theme: "Promoting social stability for shared prosperity."

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/430312/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/430312/icode/Fri, 26 Aug 2016 22:00:00 GMTWhen it comes to its humanitarian work, FAO is in it for the long haul On World Humanitarian Day 2016, we reflect on FAO's activities in humanitarian situations and profile some of our team who are working in the field to build a world free from hunger.

Celebrated every 19 August, World Humanitarian Day provides an annual reminder of the continuing need for collective action to alleviate suffering and want around the globe. It is also an occasion to honour the humanitarian workers and volunteers toiling on the frontlines of crises. Here, we reflect on FAO's activities in humanitarian situations and profile some of our team who are working in the field to build a world free from hunger.

A seed takes months to develop and grow before it yields its bounty, but conflict or natural disasters can — sometimes in a matter of seconds — wipe out an entire season's crop. And slow onset-crises like those associated with climate change sap fields and livestock, taking a steady toll on plant and animal health and culminating in "slow-motion" harvest failures.

Each year, millions of people who depend on the production, marketing and consumption of crops, livestock, fish, forests and other natural resources are confronted by a variety of disasters and crises that threaten either their food security, their livelihoods, or both. The repercussions can be felt at local, national and, at times, regional and global levels.

However, the longer-term work that goes into helping communities build their resilience to such events, cope with them as they unfold, and recover once they subside, presents a unique set of challenges.

These are the challenges that FAO and its partners are wrestling with each day in places like Afghanistan, Central America's Dry Corridor, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

In 2016, 75 percent of the planet's poorest, most vulnerable people remain reliant on agriculture as their primary source of food and income.

Yet agricultural development, farming, livestock rearing are activities that require a considerable time investment. They are highly vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather, and perform best in times of peace. Planting and tending crops is hard work and can be a challenge just on its own — it is infinitely more difficult in conflict zones, or when extended droughts mean that the rains on which crops and animals depend, simply never come.

Understanding FAO's humanitarian work

FAO plays a unique role in responding to crises affecting food production and rural communities. From day one, we work to protect and restore the livelihoods of affected farmers, fishers, herders and foresters. In doing so, our resilience building efforts not only save livelihoods, but also help communities lay the foundations for long-term recovery.

Well after the TV crews and headlines have moved on, FAO remains engaged in the field, working with farmers and rural communities to build strong, productive, and resilient rural livelihoods.

This includes diverse activities such as, for example: monitoring food security trends to allow for early action; supporting food production, even as conflicts are ongoing, and helping countries and communities resume food production after they subside; and preventing pastoralist conflicts or facilitating land conflict resolutions.

Rising needs and the role of agriculture

Currently, as a result of conflict and disaster, more than 130 million people around the world need humanitarian assistance to survive. Together, they would form the tenth most populous country on Earth.

Meanwhile, recent analysis by FAO and the World Food Programme found that protracted conflicts affecting 17 countries have driven over 56 million people into either "crisis" or "emergency" levels of food insecurity.

Another FAO study has shown that droughts, floods, storms and other disasters triggered by climate change are having a large and increasing impact on agriculture in the developing world.

"Agriculture can and must be an integral part of humanitarian responses aimed at preventing the dire and complex food security situations around the world from getting worse; it cannot be an afterthought," according to Donati. "What's more, sustainable agriculture can be more than just a buffer — it can be the bedrock of peace and resilience," he adds.

Learn more about FAO's work in humanitarian situations directly from our staff in the field via this series of short Q&As:

MATTEO TONINI has worked for FAO since 2012 and is the Emergency Coordinator in Angola.

SIMEON NGUELE is a logistics assistant in Bangui, the Central African Republic, where FAO is working to revitalize the country’s agriculture sector.

BORJA MIGUELEZ has worked in humanitarian contexts in Africa, Asia and Latin America for the last 16 years, and has been FAO’s Emergency Coordinator in Lesotho since 2012.

GEORGE MVULA is from Malawi and has been working for FAO for 12 years in a number of challenging contexts, including in Somalia, South Sudan and the Gambia.

PROSPERIDAD ABONETE has recently joined FAO as the DRR/AAP and Gender Specialist in the conflict-affected province of Mindanao, in the Philippines.

KEN SHIMIZU has been working for FAO for almost a decade and is currently the head of office in Papua New Guinea, where FAO is assisting El Niño-affected farmers.

RADOS CVETIC is the acting head of operations for the South Sudan office, where he has been working for the past three years on the emergency livelihood response programme.

BALIGHA ALI SAEED TAKAN has been working for FAO in Sudan for four years and with various UN agencies and NGOs in humanitarian and development interventions for 16 years.

YAMEN JASEM is a field monitor in the south of Syria, where FAO is working to improve the food security in one of the worst humanitarian conflicts in the world.

MOHAMED SYLLA is Guinean and is FAO's Food Security Expert in the West Africa/Sahel region.

ANNA RICOY has been working for FAO for nine years and is currently the regional Disaster Risk Management Officer based in Santiago, Chile and works in FAO’s regional office for Central and South America.

ALBERTO BIGI is the emergency and disaster risk management officer for El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, based in Panama.

FADEL EL ZUBI has worked for the UN for over 20 years, and mostly with FAO where he is currently the head of office in Iraq.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/429733/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/429733/icode/Thu, 18 Aug 2016 22:00:00 GMTEthiopia has staved off worst of El Niño, but possible impacts of La Niña looming large The newly released Mid-Year Review of the Ethiopia Humanitarian Requirements Document (HRD) indicates that 900 000 additional households need urgent agricultural support bringing the total number to 2.9 million in August. Meeting additional agricultural sector needs will require $45 million bringing the total requirement for the agriculture sector to $91.3 million for 2016.

12 August 2016, Rome - With this year's main planting season winding down in Ethiopia, there is still a small window of opportunity in September for farmers to plant the last set of crops this year and grow food for millions facing hunger, provided the necessary support arrives on time.

The newly released Mid-Year Review of the Ethiopia Humanitarian Requirements Document (HRD) - developed jointly by the Government of Ethiopia and UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and other development partners- indicates that 900 000 additional households need urgent agricultural support bringing the total number to 2.9 million in August. Meeting additional agricultural sector needs will require $45 million bringing the total requirement for the agriculture sector to $91.3 million for 2016.

The overall food security situation has improved only slightly, with the number of people requiring emergency food assistance having decreased from 10.2 million to 9.7 since the beginning of the year.

The El Niño-induced drought caused a wide-scale failure of crops and loss of livestock critical to the livelihoods of farmers and agropastoralists. The drought is being followed by seasonal floods, which have already led to crop damage and the inundation of pastures and may be further exacerbated by a phenomenon called La Niña, expected from October onwards.

"If floods worsen later this year, there could be outbreaks of crop and livestock diseases, further reducing agricultural productivity and complicating recovery," said Amadou Allahoury, FAO Representative to Ethiopia.

"The situation is critical now. We must make sure that farmers will be able to plant between now and September and grow enough food to feed themselves and their families thus avoiding millions of people having to rely on food assistance for another year. Ethiopia needs urgent global support to respond to its humanitarian needs, we have no time to procrastinate," Allahoury added.

The meher season is Ethiopia's main agricultural season and produces up to 85 percent of the nation's food supplies. If the farmers do not plant enough now, Ethiopia may face significant food shortages, which may further exacerbate food and nutrition insecurity in the country.

To ensure the last remaining planting window of the year is met, an estimated $8.8 million is needed to provide root crop planting materials, legumes, vegetable and cereal seed to 530 000 households.

FAO estimates that households who lost small ruminants such as sheep may need at least two years to return to pre-drought levels, while cattle-owning households may need up to four years to recover. Animals that survived the recent drought are still weak and susceptible to diseases during the rainy periods; $36.2 million is required to undertake the necessary interventions to support 2.4 million livestock-dependent households (or 12 million people).

Preparing for La Niña

According to meteorological reports, a La Niña event is 55 percent likely for October to November and will have two major impacts on Ethiopia: flooding in the dominantly highland areas and additional drought in the lowland livestock-dependent areas of Oromia and Somali regions. FAO is supporting the Government to prepare a contingency plan to address the upcoming needs.

FAO's response to the crisis

With resources received, FAO has already provided agricultural inputs to 127 000 households (635 000 people) in drought-affected regions including Amhara, Afar, Oromia, Tigray, Somali and SNNP. So far, nearly 3 700 metric tons of seed and 5.8 million potato cuttings have been delivered to affected communities. Additional vegetable and late season crop seed are being purchased and will be distributed between August and September 2016.

FAO has provided critical support to livestock-owning families. The organization provided livestock feed, fodder seed to rejuvenate pasture, and rehabilitated water points for livestock. FAO has supported the government to vaccinate and treat some 1.4 million animals. However, large numbers of animals has been weakened by the drought and are exposed to diseases as the result of the recent floods. The organization is planning to expand the vaccinations and treatment campaigns.

In order to increase the coverage of both farmers and livestock keepers affected by the drought and current floods, FAO requires $10 million by the end of September 2016.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/429198/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/429198/icode/Thu, 11 Aug 2016 22:00:00 GMTNigeria: FAO seeks urgent funding to target 385,000 people with farming support in northeast FAO has launched a full-scale corporate response to the ongoing crisis and urgently requires $10 million to supply seeds, fertilizers and irrigation equipment for the upcoming irrigated dry season.

9 August 2016, Rome - Urgent action is needed to provide farming and livelihood support to 385,000 people in parts of Nigeria's northeast where food insecurity is rampant, FAO said today.

The resumption of agricultural activities in these areas is of utmost priority to ensure that people can produce enough food for themselves. This includes those who have been internally displaced by the conflict as well as communities who have been hosting them.

"These populations need urgent assistance to recover their livelihoods, which are mostly based on crop farming, artisanal fisheries and aquaculture and livestock production. For the last three to four years this has not been possible due to the conflict," said Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.

More than 3 million people are affected by acute food insecurity in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

FAO has launched a full-scale corporate response to the ongoing crisis and urgently requires $10 million to supply seeds, fertilizers and irrigation equipment for the upcoming irrigated dry season. In the meantime, FAO is preparing its response for the main agricultural season for which even more resources are required.

"This year, significant territory previously controlled by Boko Haram has been rendered accessible to humanitarian assistance so we have a critical opportunity to tackle the alarming levels of food insecurity in northeast Nigeria," said Tim Vaessen, FAO's Emergency and Response Manager in Nigeria.

"With funds received to-date, FAO has reached over 123,000 people to improve their food security by enabling them to grow their own food during the ongoing rain-fed season. While this assistance is crucial, it reaches just a fraction of those in need of support and now FAO is seeking funds to support irrigated crop production, livestock restocking and animal health treatment, including disease control and supplementary feed, in the newly liberated areas," he added.

Pressure on rural communities hosting displaced people

Three consecutive planting seasons have been lost due to the fighting in northeastern Nigeria. Moreover, large influxes of people escaping repeated Boko Haram attacks have put extreme pressure on already poor and vulnerable host communities and their fragile agricultural and pastoral livelihoods, exacerbating the already precarious food and nutrition security situation.

Failure to rebuild the rural economy will translate into lack of employment opportunities with possible harmful consequences including youth radicalization and enrolment into armed groups, resulting in continued civil unrest, FAO warned. In contrast, restarting food production in the newly accessible areas will have the additional benefits of encouraging displaced populations to return to their homes, while contributing to their improved health and nutrition.

FAO's work

In northeastern Nigeria FAO has provided agricultural kits to vulnerable internally displaced people with access to land and host families. The kits included improved varieties of millet or sorghum and cowpea seeds - a locally adapted and highly nutritious pulse - and fertilizers, enabling beneficiaries to grow their own food during the ongoing rain-fed season. The harvest is expected to start by the end of September and will allow beneficiaries to cover their food needs for up to 10 months.

FAO is currently preparing to target an additional 85,000 people with horticulture packages to prepare for the upcoming irrigated season.

"Growing their own healthy and nutritious food reduces the need for future external food assistance. Families who have access to land and are ready to farm can harvest in six to eight weeks," Vaessen said.

FAO's activities in Nigeria remain constrained by a serious lack of funding. To-date, FAO has received just $ 4.9 million, of which almost 20 percent has come from FAO's own Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities.

FAO's programme in northeast Nigeria is also funded by Japan, Belgium, the European Commission (ECHO) and the United Nations Central Emergency Fund (CERF).]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/428878/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/428878/icode/Mon, 08 Aug 2016 22:00:00 GMTProtracted conflicts causing alarming spikes in severe hunger A new series of 17 country briefs prepared by FAO and WFP finds that conflicts have now pushed over 56 million people into either "crisis" or "emergency" levels of food insecurity.

Joint FAO-WFP news release

29 July 2016, Rome - Protracted conflicts affecting 17 countries have driven millions of people into severe food insecurity and are hindering global efforts to eradicate malnutrition, two UN agencies have warned in a report submitted to the UN Security Council.

A new series of 17 country briefs prepared by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) and published today finds that conflicts have now pushed over 56 million people into either "crisis" or "emergency" levels of food insecurity when expressed in terms used by the Integrated Food Security Classification Phase (IPC) scale.*

Topping the list in terms of the sheer numbers of people whose food security is being negatively impacted by ongoing conflict are Yemen, where 14 million people - over half the population - are now in a state of hunger crisis or emergency on the IPC scale, and Syria, where 8.7 million people - 37 percent of the pre-conflict population - need urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance.

In South Sudan where the situation is rapidly deteriorating 4.8 million people - some 40 percent of the population - are in need of urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance.

And in countries coming out of extended periods of civil strife such as the Central African Republic and Colombia millions of people are still wrestling with high levels of food insecurity.

In other countries, while the overall absolute numbers of people facing food insecurity are lower, the share of people experiencing severe levels of food insecurity accounts for over half of the total population.

A staggering 89 percent of all Syrian refugees currently in Lebanon require urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance. In Burundi and Haiti, 23 percent and 19 percent of people are at IPC level 3 or 4, respectively, while in the Central African Republic, 50 percent of the population is at IPC scale 3 or worse.

Noting in their introduction to the briefs that "conflict is a leading cause of hunger - each famine in the modern era has been characterized by conflict," FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin underscore how hunger feeds violence and drives further instability.

"Conflict undermines food security in multiple ways: destroying crops, livestock and agricultural infrastructure, disrupting markets, causing displacement, creating fear and uncertainty over fulfilling future needs, damaging human capital and contributing to the spread of disease among others. Conflict also creates access problems for governments and humanitarian organizations, which often struggle to reach those in need," they note.

"Addressing hunger can be a meaningful contribution to peacebuilding," they argue, adding: "The 2030 Agenda recognizes peace as a vital threshold condition for development, as well as a development outcome in its own right."

A vicious cycle

The most recent estimates suggest that approximately half of the global poor now live in states characterized by conflict and violence.

People living in such places can be up to three times more likely to be undernourished than those living in more stable areas.

Post-conflict countries with high food insecurity are 40 percent more likely to relapse into conflict within a 10-year timespan if hunger levels are not addressed.

Helping shape UN peacebuilding

The briefs shared with the Security Council today cover 17 countries where conflict has significantly affected food security: in Latin America and the Caribbean, Haiti and Colombia; in Africa, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan; in the Middle East, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen; and in Asia, Afghanistan.

An additional brief on the regional Lake Chad crisis affecting Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon was also submitted. There, violence associated with Boko Haram has seen the numbers of displaced people triple over the past two years accompanied by rising levels of hunger and malnutrition.

The Security Council will receive from FAO and WFP regular updates on the food security situation in conflicted-affected states.

* In countries where the IPC scale or a related tool, the Cadre Harmonisé (CH), are used to measure food insecurity, the most recent IPC/CH results were used to prepare the briefs. For countries where the IPC is not used, such as Colombia, Lebanon, and Syria, existing data and analysis from FAO's Global Information and Early Warning Service (GIEWS) and WFP's Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) initiative were used. For non IPC countries, some results were expressed in IPC terms as a general indicator of the severity of food insecurity, using IPC standard thresholds, but were not produced through an official IPC process.]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/427423/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/427423/icode/Thu, 28 Jul 2016 22:00:00 GMTFlare-up of violence in South Sudan raises spectre of hunger catastrophe Millions of people facing hunger in South Sudan will be driven to the brink of catastrophe if renewed flashes of violence derail the fragile peace process, FAO said today.

16 July 2016, Rome/Juba - Millions of people facing hunger in South Sudan will be driven to the brink of catastrophe if renewed flashes of violence derail the fragile peace process, FAO said today. The Organization called for calm and stability, warning that if peace does not hold, the human costs of recent fighting in Juba will be compounded by deepening hunger across the entire country.

The most recent assessment, released last month, showed South Sudan was already in dire straits, with over 4.8 million people severely food insecure and malnutrition rates rampant. The assessment projected severe food shortages over the months to come and warned of the risk of hunger crises in parts of the country.

"In Juba, which hasn't experienced such a level of violence in years, a fragile calm now appears to be holding, but uncertainty grips the city and supplies to food markets have been disrupted," said FAO Country Representative Serge Tissot.

"And while we hope that the situation will hold, violence may flare up again. If the tenuous peace process falters, the consequences will be widespread and an already dire situation, in which over half the nation's population is food insecure, could get much, much worse," he added.

"A return to stability and the continuation of the peace process are essential to allowing agricultural production to continue and markets to re-open," emphasized FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

"The people of the world's youngest nation cannot afford any further instability," he said, adding: "We have to remember that peace and food security are two sides of the same coin - it's the currency that drives development and prosperity. The future of the country depends on the people of South Sudan making a firm and lasting commitment to peace, now."

Looted agricultural inputs need replacing

During the violence that erupted last week FAO's Juba warehouse was ransacked and stocks of essential supplies like seeds and tools earmarked to help food insecure people across the country save their livelihoods, were looted. The Organization is currently assessing the full extent of the losses.

"As the FAO offices in South Sudan remain operational, the continuation of our support to those most in need requires that additional resources be urgently made available to replace what was looted," said Tissot.

"Under normal conditions, harvesting of the main maize and sorghum crop would begin in a few weeks' time -- planting of a second season would take place over the same period. How well those activities are able to proceed will have a big impact on food security in both the short and the longer term," he added.

The recent clashes between opposition and government forces have been the most violent in Juba since the end of the country's two-year civil war in August 2015.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/425805/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/425805/icode/Fri, 15 Jul 2016 22:00:00 GMTUN seeks to boost response to El Niño's dire impact in Africa and Asia/Pacific, urges La Niña preparedness The heads of the three Rome-based UN agencies urged greater preparedness to deal with the possible occurrence later this year of a La Niña climate event, closely related to the El Niño cycle that has had a severe impact on agriculture and food security.

6 July 2016, Rome - Combined efforts to prevent further human suffering, strengthen resilience and safeguard livelihoods in the wake of El Niño's devastating effects worldwide must be rapidly ramped-up by governments and the international community, United Nations (UN) leaders said today.

More than 60 million people worldwide, about 40 million in East and Southern Africa alone, are projected to be food insecure due to the impact of the El Niño climate event.

The heads of the three Rome-based UN agencies urged greater preparedness to deal with the possible occurrence later this year of a La Niña climate event, closely related to the El Niño cycle that has had a severe impact on agriculture and food security.

Scientists are predicting an increasing likelihood of the opposite climate phenomenon, La Niña, developing. This will increase the probability of above average rainfall and flooding in areas affected by El Niño-related drought, whilst at the same time making it more likely that drought will occur in areas that have been flooded due to El Niño.

The UN estimates that without the necessary action, the number of people affected by the combined impacts of the El Niño/La Niña could top 100 million.

To coordinate responses to these challenges and to mobilize the international community to support the affected governments, UN agencies and other partners met at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today. The meeting included the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office of Lesotho, Kimetso Henry Mathaba, Minister for Livestock, Forestry and Range of Somalia, Said Hussein Iid, and Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare of Zimbabwe, Priscah Mupfumira, also attended. Keynote speakers included World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas, and UN Special Envoy for El Niño and Climate, Ambassador Macharia Kamau.

Participants noted that almost $4 billion is required to meet the humanitarian demands of El Niño-affected countries and that almost 80 percent of this is for food security and agricultural needs.

The meeting called for action to recover agricultural livelihoods that have been severely damaged by the droughts associated with El Niño. Acting now will ensure that farmers have sufficient levels of agricultural inputs for upcoming planting seasons.

Furthermore, FAO, IFAD and WFP are redoubling efforts to mitigate the negative impacts and capitalize on positive opportunities of a likely La Niña phenomenon in the coming months. This means acting decisively to prepare for above-average rainfall in some areas and potential drought conditions in others.

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva warned that the impact of El Niño on agricultural livelihoods has been enormous and with La Niña on the doorsteps the situation could worsen.

"El Nino has caused primarily a food and agricultural crisis", Graziano da Silva said. He announced that FAO will therefore mobilize additional new funding to "enable it to focus on anticipatory early action in particular, for agriculture, food and nutrition, to mitigate the impacts of anticipated events and to strengthen emergency response capabilities through targeted preparedness investments."

Mobilizing resources for rapid action now can save lives and minimize damage while reducing costs in the future, said WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin.

"The massive impact of this global El Niño event, exacerbated by persistent poverty and chronic hunger in many countries, threatens the food security of millions of people who are the least able to cope," she said.

"Farms have failed, opportunities for work have evaporated, and nutritious food has become increasingly inaccessible for many communities," Cousin added. "But new humanitarian crises are not inevitable if we invest in support for communities and provide the tools and skills required to endure climate-related shocks."

IFAD Associate Vice President, Lakshmi Menon, reminded the global community not to forget about small-scale farmers, who are the most vulnerable to these extreme weather events. "Small-scale farmers in rural areas are disproportionally impacted by these natural disasters because many of them depend on rainfed agriculture for their lives and livelihoods, and they do not have the capacity to bounce back from shocks. We need to invest in building their long-term resilience so when the next El Niño and La Niña cycles hit, they are better prepared and can continue to grow food for their families," she said.

UN Special Envoy for El Niño and Climate, Ambassador Macharia Kamau said: "It is clear that these types of extreme weather events are stressing already-vulnerable communities, threatening to undermine development gains of recent decades and impede achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals."

He noted that the humanitarian community in partnership with governments and regional authorities have developed a number of plans in order to respond to the current El Niño event, and that these plans are multisectoral and require longer-term, predictable funding in order to ensure they are fully implemented.

Responding to El Niño, preparing for La Niña

Drought has gripped large swathes of east and southern Africa and has also hit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam, while El Nino-associated storms have wiped out harvests in Fiji and some of its neighbouring island states.

Participants noted that in southern Africa a three-month "window of opportunity" exists before the 2016/17 planting season begins and that adequate interventions, including agricultural input distributions are urgently needed to avoid the dependence of millions of rural families on humanitarian assistance programmes well into 2018.

In Southeast Asia, drought and saltwater intrusion are threatening the livelihoods of farmers in Viet Nam and also seriously impacting household food security and cash availability. With the monsoon season fast approaching, most farmers need to purchase inputs for their upcoming agricultural and animal production activities. While in the Pacific region the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau have already declared a state of emergency and below-normal rainfall is forecast to continue across the northern and western Pacific areas threatening the livelihoods and well-being of 1.9 million people.

Working in partnership

FAO's work

In Southern Africa, FAO is supporting more than 50 000 households including in Zimbabwe with livestock survival feed and drought-tolerant sorghum and cowpea seeds, and in Malawi, by vaccinating small livestock and providing drought-resistant cereals and irrigation support. In Lesotho and Mozambique, FAO has been strengthening national response and providing coordination support.

Throughout the Horn of Africa, in partnership with governments NGOs and other UN agencies, FAO is coordinating drought-related interventions, providing agricultural inputs, helping to rehabilitate water structures and animal health and production, and plant and animal disease surveillance and control.

In the Asia Pacific region, FAO's El Niño response includes a detailed assessment of the situation in Viet Nam where it is also on standby to provide emergency seeds and tools. In Fiji, FAO is currently providing emergency assistance to 1 050 households as part of the Cyclone Winston response. FAO is working with partners in Papua New Guinea to support farming families in the worst affected provinces with drought-tolerant seeds and smart irrigation material (e.g. drip-irrigation systems). In Timor-Leste, additional maize and cover crop seeds are being distributed to farmers affected by El Niño.

IFAD's work

Building climate resilience to drought and other extreme weather events is a priority in IFAD-supported projects and this is helping vulnerable families cope with the impacts of El Niño. For example, in Ethiopia small-scale irrigation schemes have ensured farmers are less dependent on rainfed agriculture. This is coupled with training in more sustainable water usage, water harvesting techniques and rehabilitation of degraded soils. In the Mekong Delta of Viet Nam, IFAD-supported projects are helping farmers to access saline-tolerant rice varieties and to diversify their incomes into small-scale aquaculture, so they are not solely dependent on rice and can continue to earn incomes during the drought.

WFP's work

World Food Programme has rapidly scaled-up relief operations to assist communities grappling with El Niño's impacts, providing emergency food where needed or cash to buy food where markets are functioning. In Ethiopia, more than 7.6 million people have received food assistance from WFP and more than 200 000 people have also received cash transfers.

In Swaziland, WFP has launched emergency food distributions and in Lesotho, has begun cash-based transfers. In Malawi, WFP will scale up its new lean-season food assistance programme to reach more than 5 million people by November. In Papua New Guinea, over 260 000 people affected by El Niño-related food insecurity are receiving WFP food assistance.

Resilience-building is integrated into emergency responses when possible. In Zimbabwe, a grains production pilot supported by weather-based financing facility FoodSECuRE trains smallholder farmers in climate-smart agriculture and the use of drought-tolerant grains. The Rural Resilience risk management Initiative (R4) has provided El Niño-related payments to affected farming families in Ethiopia, Malawi and Senegal. WFP also works closely with African Risk Capacity (ARC), an insurance pool to lower the cost of the response to disasters before these become humanitarian crises."

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/423058/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/423058/icode/Tue, 05 Jul 2016 22:00:00 GMTTo reduce El Niño's impact on Central America's Dry Corridor, build resilience and invest in sustainable agriculture To raise awareness and coordinate responses to both the protracted El Niño-related crises in the Dry Corridor and the possibility of a related La Niña event in the second half of 2016, UN agencies and other partners met today at FAO's Rome headquarters with the aim of mobilizing the international community to support the efforts of governments, UN agencies and other partners.

30 June 2016, Rome - Urgent action by the international community and governments in the Dry Corridor of Central America is essential to help build resilience, food security, and restore livelihoods damaged by drought and other extreme-weather effects of El Niño, United Nations leaders said today.

The devastating El Niño event that began in 2015 was one of the worst on record and its impact continues to be felt in the Dry Corridor, compounding the damage from two consecutive years of drought. As a result, some 3.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance with 1.6 million moderately or severely food insecure in the hard-hit countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

To raise awareness and coordinate responses to both the protracted El Niño-related crises in the Dry Corridor and the possibility of a related La Niña event in the second half of 2016, UN agencies and other partners met today at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The meeting included the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), with the aim of mobilizing the international community to support the efforts of governments, UN agencies and other partners.

Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Nutrition of Guatemala, Mario Méndez, Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, Jacobo Paz Bodden, and Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of El Salvador, Hugo Flores, joined the meeting which concluded with a communiqué that stressed common challenges within the Dry Corridor, including adaptation of the production systems of small-scale family farmers to climate change; and expanding efforts to reduce poverty, inequality and the socioeconomic and environmental vulnerability of the region.

In opening remarks, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva stressed that "the challenge facing the Dry Corridor is not only climate change: it is also extreme poverty, and food and nutritional insecurity," adding: "We need to change the traditional response strategy and tackle the structural causes of poverty and food insecurity in Central America's Dry Corridor, and not settle for simply mounting a humanitarian response every time an emergency situation occurs."

He also noted that the strategic alliance between the Rome-based UN organizations (FAO, IFAD, WFP) as well as South-South Cooperation efforts will be fundamental to eradicating hunger and poverty in Central America's Dry Corridor, however, the scale of the challenge requires the support of the entire international community.

IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze said: "It is crucial to respond to the immediate needs of people suffering as a result of El Niño. But we also need to acknowledge that climate change will continue to exacerbate these extreme weather events. The only way to ensure future food security in the region is to invest in long-term development to help people be more resilient to shocks so that they can continue to feed their families."

Coordinated action between agencies and partners to build resilience among the vulnerable people of the Dry Corridor will save lives while working to eliminate food insecurity, said WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin.

"Together, we must not only eliminate poverty but also pre-emptively address the extraordinary level of social, economic, and environmental susceptibility experienced by vulnerable people living in the Dry Corridor - all of which contribute to food insecurity," Cousin added.

"Data and experience clearly demonstrate that the costs of emergency response and rehabilitation after a disaster occurs substantially exceed the price tag for risk reduction and mitigation action taken before disaster strikes."

El Niño and La Niña events, more frequent and more severe

Some 10.5 million people, about 60 percent of whom are in poverty, live in the Dry Corridor, a region characterized by extensive deforestation, soil degradation and water scarcity.

These conditions are exacerbated by El Niño and its counterpart La Niña which occur cyclically. However, in recent years extreme weather events associated with these two phenomena, such as droughts and floods, have increased in frequency and severity, mainly due to the effects of global climate change,

Social and economic inclusion

The communiqué of today's meeting stresses the need to ensure social and economic inclusion of vulnerable communities while increasing and diversifying income opportunities, changes that will, in turn, reduce high levels of migration. The communiqué also underscores the importance of boosting public and private investment as well as technical and financial cooperation to target entrepreneurship programmes and job creation for rural women and young people. This could include improving the provision of water, and sanitation, health, education, roads, electrification and better access to credit, technology and markets.

Working in partnership

FAO's work

In the Dry Corridor area of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, FAO is supporting small-scale producers and rural communities that are highly vulnerable to extreme natural hazards, such as recurrent droughts, excessive rains and severe flooding.

With the goal of reducing the impact of extreme climate events, FAO's work in the region involves strengthening the disaster risk management capacities of national and local authorities and setting up information and early warning systems. Good practices and technologies are promoted by, for example, providing seeds for short-cycle and drought-resistant crops, establishing water harvesting systems and community contingency funds and supporting agroforestry.

In addition, the Central American Development Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and FAO today agreed they would work jointly to promote investments that contribute to reducing rural poverty and promoting socio-economic development and Central American integration, as well as supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and measures in the Dry Corridor countries.

Initial areas of focus include: the Dry Corridor: land restoration and integrated approaches to land use; mountain and sustainable forest management; public-private partnerships and market access. Other potential areas of collaboration between CABEI and FAO are innovative and integrated forest and land management approaches.

IFAD's work

IFAD currently supports a wide range of projects in the Dry Corridor areas of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua which are helping poor, small-scale farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change and increase their resilience to extreme weather events. In El Salvador, for example, farmers are being introduced to soil and water conservation methods as well as cultivation techniques better-suited to dry regions.

IFAD-supported projects in Dry Corridor countries are also involved in constructing water harvesting structures, generating up-to-date information and research that helps forecast climate risk and vulnerability, and helping farmers with basic household improvements such as building energy-efficient stoves and low-flow latrines. Believing that investments in long-term resilience can reduce the impact and cost of disasters, IFAD is actively involved in policy dialogue with governments and decision-makers in the region.

WFP's work

WFP provided assistance to 1 million people annually in 2014 and 2015 in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, primarily through cash-based transfers. WFP has prioritized assistance to an anticipated 600,000 severely food insecure households until the end of August 2016, especially those expecting just one harvest rather than the usual two.

WFP has supported national relief responses and recovery efforts from the effects of the drought in the Dry Corridor of Central America exacerbated by El Niño, especially during the last part of 2015. Immediate support was provided to drought-affected food-insecure populations and facilitated their recovery through asset creation and training, with a view to laying the foundation for a transition to resilience-building through WFP programmes and capacity development activities at the regional and country levels.

More specifically: In drought-damaged communities in Honduras, WFP is delivering 170 tonnes of Super Cereal Plus, a supplementary and nutritious food enriched with protein, vitamins and minerals, to assist children aged under five who are at risk of malnutrition. As of April 2016, more than 9,200 children in 44 municipalities and five departments received distributions.

In Guatemala, WFP is working with the government to provide conditional food assistance in return to assets creation to facilitate emergency response planning, Participants include: small farmers or seasonal workers without food reserves; households relying on agriculture as their main income, and households with more than 50-75 percent of staple grains losses.]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/422132/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/422132/icode/Wed, 29 Jun 2016 22:00:00 GMTUnprecedented level of food insecurity in South Sudan, UN agencies warn Up to 4.8 million people in South Sudan - well over one-third of the population - will be facing severe food shortages over the coming months, and the risk of a hunger catastrophe continues to threaten parts of the country.

Joint FAO-UNICEF-WFP News Release

29 June 2016, Juba - Up to 4.8 million people in South Sudan - well over one-third of the population - will be facing severe food shortages over the coming months, and the risk of a hunger catastrophe continues to threaten parts of the country, three UN agencies warned today.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) stressed that while the deteriorating situation coincides with an unusually long and harsh annual lean season, when families have depleted their food stocks and new harvests are not expected until August, the level of food insecurity this year is unprecedented.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update released today by the government, the three agencies and other humanitarian partners, 4.8 million people are projected to be in need of urgent food, agriculture and nutrition assistance through July, up from 4.3 million in April. This is the highest level of hunger since the conflict in South Sudan began two-and-a-half years ago. This number does not include 350,000 residents of the UN Protection of Civilians areas or other camps for displaced people, who currently are entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance.

"We are very worried to see that food insecurity is spreading beyond conflict areas as rising prices, impassable roads and dysfunctional markets are preventing many families, even those in towns and cities, from accessing food," said FAO Country Representative Serge Tissot.

Food insecurity and conflict are also forcing many families to leave South Sudan for neighbouring countries. In the last few months alone, an estimated 100,000 South Sudanese people have crossed into Sudan, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and this number is expected to increase to more than 150,000 by the end of June.

"The levels of malnutrition among children continue to be truly alarming," said said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF's Representative in South Sudan. "Since the beginning of the year more than 100,000 children have been treated for severe malnutrition. That's a 40 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, and a 150 percent increase since 2014."

Working with a large number of international and local non-governmental organizations, FAO, UNICEF and WFP will continue to deliver life- and livelihood- saving support under these difficult circumstances.

"We are now seeing sharp spikes of need in new areas, such as Eastern Equatoria or Western Bahr el-Ghazal, where malnutrition rates in some places are reaching dangerous levels. We have started ramping up food and nutrition support, but much more is needed to keep things from deteriorating even further during the lean season," said WFP Country Director Joyce Luma.

In 2016, FAO is planning to provide emergency livelihood support to 3.1 million people in South Sudan. It is currently distributing over half a million crop and fishing kits and is assisting livestock production through the vaccination of some 11 million animals.

The dramatic rise in malnutrition rates, means that in the first four months of the year UNICEF has already treated 45 per cent of its planned 2016 caseload of 166,000 children.

WFP plans to assist 3.3 million people in South Sudan this year through a combination of emergency food assistance, lifesaving nutrition support for mothers and young children, community-based asset-creation projects where possible, and safety net programmes such as school meals.

About FAOFAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews @FAOknowledge

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org or follow UNICEF on Facebook and Twitter

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. Follow WFP on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_africa]]>

23 June 2016, Rome - Pope Francis in a meeting today with FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva praised the agency's efforts to address migration in the Mediterranean region as well as its work to promote the strong links between peace and food security, climate change and sustainable development.

Graziano da Silva briefed the pontiff on FAO's Blue Hope Initiative which seeks to transform Southern Mediterranean coastal zone communities into engines of stability and growth, in particular by supporting the activities of small-scale fisheries.

"Migration is an issue which is very close to Pope Francis' heart. Much more needs to be done to tackle what is happening in the Mediterranean where more than 2,500 people are estimated to have died so far this year in attempts to reach Europe by sea," the FAO Director-General said after today's meeting.

The pontiff and Graziano da Silva also discussed the current peace efforts underway in Colombia and in the Central African Republic and the hope that lasting solutions will be found for the conflict in the two countries.

Boosting rural development to counter migration

In his discussion with the pontiff, Graziano da Silva outlined FAO's belief that increasing investments in food security, sustainable rural development and in efforts to adapt agriculture to climate change, will help create the conditions whereby people, especially the youth, will no longer be forced to abandon their lands in order to seek a better life elsewhere.

He described to Pope Francis FAO's position on the issue of migration and the agency's role in efforts aimed at achieving the international community's Sustainable Development Goals, including the eradication of hunger by 2030.

Graziano da Silva also informed Pope Francis of his concern over the impact that the El Niño climate event is having on large swathes of the globe, such as severe drought and flooding. The UN's High Level Task Force on Global Food and Nutrition Security, of which Graziano da Silva is Vice-Chair, on Wednesday held a special discussion on El Niño.

The FAO Director-General informed the pontiff that FAO will be hosting two high-level meetings to examine the extent of El Niño on Central America's Dry Corridor and in Africa, Asia and the Pacific on 30 June and 6 July 2016 respectively.

The FAO Director-General noted how around the world, climate change is putting at risk the livelihoods of millions of small-scale family farmers, many of whom are heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture.

Graziano da Silva stressed that responding to the impacts climate change requires investing in improving poor rural communities' ability to access land, credit and other resources while also ensuring they are provided with basic services like water, sanitation, health, education, transport infrastructure and electricity.

Pope Francis, for his part, expressed concern with the current bureaucracy in international organizations and said that within the UN system they should work more for the benefit of their member states.]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/421029/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/421029/icode/Wed, 22 Jun 2016 22:00:00 GMTSevere food insecurity widespread in Yemen Vast swathes of Yemen – 19 out of 22 governorates – are facing severe food insecurity according to a new joint assessment by the UN and partners, which warns that the situation within affected areas is likely to deteriorate if conflict persists.

Joint FAO-WFP news release

21 June 2016, Rome/Sana'a - Vast swathes of Yemen - 19 out of 22 governorates - are facing severe food insecurity according to a new joint assessment by the UN and partners, which warns that the situation within affected areas is likely to deteriorate if conflict persists.

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis confirms that over half the country's population is living in "crisis" or "emergency" levels of food insecurity, with some governorates seeing as much as 70 percent of their population struggling to feed themselves.

At least 7 million people - a quarter of the population - are living under Emergency levels of food insecurity (Phase 4 on the five-tiered IPC scale). This reflects a 15-percent increase since June 2015. A further 7.1 million people are in a state of Crisis (Phase 3).

"The IPC results clearly show the huge magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen," said Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen. "This is one of the worst crises in the world and is continuing to get worse. Conflict has taken a very heavy toll on the country and its people, exacerbated widespread vulnerability and virtually destroyed household coping mechanisms. As a result, food insecurity, remains unacceptably high."

Drivers of food insecurity

Major drivers of food insecurity include fuel shortages and import restrictions that have reduced availability of essential food commodities in the country, which imports some 90 percent of its staple foods. Food and fuel imports in March 2016 were the lowest since October 2015 and satisfied only 12 percent of the country's fuel needs.

Domestic prices of wheat, meanwhile, were 12-15 percent higher in May 2016 compared with pre-crisis levels, even though global wheat prices have decreased in recent months.

Shortages of seeds and fertilizers have crippled crop production across Yemen, where around 50 percent of the labour force earns their living from the agriculture sector and related activities.

Two cyclones in November 2015, plus flash floods and locust swarms in April 2016 further plagued already struggling communities, limiting their ability to produce and access food.

"We managed to provide support across the most affected governorates under these challenging conditions, but ongoing conflict, displacement and limited access to farmland and fishing sites continue to cause significant losses to agriculture and threaten farmers' livelihoods," stressed FAO's Yemen Representative Salah El Hajj Hassan. "With access to many staple foods limited through import and transport restrictions, helping communities feed themselves through back-yard farming and small poultry production, among other interventions, is essential now."

"With the fluidity of the situation and until a political solution is in place, we will continue to see an increase in the number of people struggling to feed themselves and their families and further deterioration in food security across Yemen," said Purnima Kashyap, WFP Representative and Country Director. "We appeal to all parties to ensure unrestricted access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected people."

Malnutrition

Some 3 million children under the age of 5 and pregnant or nursing women require services to treat or prevent acute malnutrition, the report said citing UNICEF data.

Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) is at an alarming stage in most of the country's governorates, reaching levels of 25.1 percent in Taiz Lowland and 21.7 in Al Hodeidah.

The same areas have seen a significant decrease in traditional fishing -- by about 75 percent in Taiz and Al Hodeidah. In other governorates fishing operations have halved compared with 2014.

Under these circumstances, both food and agricultural assistance are critical to saving lives and livelihoods across Yemen.

"From January to 30 April 2016, about 3.6 million people received emergency food assistance, but the overall response is significantly underfunded," said McGoldrick. "I urgently appeal to donors to increase humanitarian funding so that more food assistance can be delivered to millions of other people in urgent need."

The joint IPC analysis is the result of weeks of information gathering by a partnership of UN agencies, including UNICEF and WFP, and NGOs under the leadership of the European Union-funded Food Security Information Systems (FSIS) programme and the Food Security Technical Secretariat of the Yemeni government's Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.

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About FAO

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews.

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists 80 million people in around 80 countries. For more information visit: www.wfp.org or follow WFP on Twitter @WFP_Media. ]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/419189/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/419189/icode/Mon, 20 Jun 2016 22:00:00 GMTOngoing conflicts and droughts exacerbate food needs Drought linked to El Niño and civil conflict have pushed the number of countries currently in need of external food assistance up to 37 from 34 in March, according to a NEW FAO REPORT.

2 June 2016, Rome - Drought linked to El Niño and civil conflict have pushed the number of countries currently in need of external food assistance up to 37 from 34 in March, according to a new FAO report.

The new edition of the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, released today, adds Papua New Guinea, Haiti and Nigeria to the list of countries requiring outside help to feed their own populations or communities of refugees they are hosting.

In Haiti, output of cereals and starchy roots in 2015 dropped to its lowest level in 12 years. Around 3.6 million people, more than one-third of the population, are food insecure, almost half of them "severely", while at least 200 000 are in an extreme food emergency situation, according to the report.

Haiti's woes are largely due to El Niño, which has also exacerbated the worst drought in decades in Central America's dry corridor.

In Southern Africa, El Niño impacts have significantly worsened food security and the 2016 cereal harvest currently underway is expected to drop by 26 percent from the already reduced level of the previous year, triggering a "substantial rise" in maize prices and import requirements in the coming marketing year.

Prolonged drought in Papua New Guinea last year has been followed by heavy rains and localized flooding in early 2016, affecting around 2.7 million people. Staple food output in the country's Highland region is expected to suffer a severe shortfall, while the harvest in neighboring Timor-Leste is expected to be reduced for the second year in a row.

While El Niño is now over, the World Meteorological Organization forecasts a 65 percent chance it will be followed by a La Niña episode, which typically triggers the opposite precipitation patterns -- potentially a boon for parched land but also posing the risk of flooding.

Conflicts are taking an increasing toll

Civil conflicts and their displacement of populations have worsened the food security situation in 12 of the 28 countries on the watch list.

About 13.5 million people in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance, with caseloads increasing. This year' s harvest is forecast to drop by around 9 percent, due to irregular rainfall in parts of the country, combined with a lack of agricultural inputs and damage to farm infrastructure, according to FAO.

The new report adds Nigeria, home to Africa's largest economy and population, to the list of countries needing external help, due to large-scale internal displacement of people stemming from ongoing conflict in northern districts, which also led to increased number of refugees and food insecurity in neighboring Cameroun, Chad and Niger. About 3.4 million people, mostly in the states of Borno and Yobe, are estimated to be in need of food assistance.

In Yemen, where over14.4 million people are estimated to be food insecure - half of them severely so - there is a high risk that desert locust swarms will increase in hard-to-reach interior regions from early June onwards.

Global cereal output on the rise

FAO raised its forecast for global cereal production in 2016 to 2 539 million tonnes, up 17.3 million tonnes from its previous May projection and up 0.6 percent from last year's harvest. Aggregate cereal production in Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) is also forecast to increase to 420 million tonnes in 2016, led by a recovery in rice and wheat production in India after last year reduction due toEl Niño-related drought. That would be a 2.5 percent increase from last year's "sharply reduced" level.

In spite of the improved world production prospects in 2016, output would still fall slightly short of the projected demand in 2016/17, meaning global stocks would need to be drawn down from their near-record level.

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/417108/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/417108/icode/Wed, 01 Jun 2016 22:00:00 GMTUN agencies provide seeds, tools and food to break hunger cycle in CAR The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have begun providing seeds, hand tools and food to nearly 50,000 hungry farming families for this planting season in the most food-insecure areas of the Central African Republic (CAR).

Joint FAO-WFP news release

25 May 2016, BANGUI/ROME - The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have begun providing seeds, hand tools and food to nearly 50,000 hungry farming families for this planting season in the most food-insecure areas of the Central African Republic (CAR). It coincides with the height of the lean season when household food stocks are typically lowest.

Under the ‘seeds protection' initiative, FAO provides crop and vegetable seeds, while WFP provides groundnuts, maize, rice, sorghum, and beans to the same families.

"Helping families rebuild food production is an important part of the recovery in this country, as it creates a source of food and income and can help bring stability to communities," said FAO country representative Jean-Alexandre Scaglia. "That's why it's critical we make sure families don't cope with the current scarcity by eating their seeds meant for planting."

"We know that during this period, food is limited and families are already struggling," said Bienvenu Djossa, WFP Central African Republic Country Director. "The food provided by WFP ensures that the seeds get planted and families don't go hungry at the same time," according to Djossa, who stressed that, "Our support now can help people escape the vicious cycle of hunger."

Three years of conflict have disrupted agriculture and severely constrained people's access to food as they have been struggling with the effects of multiple poor harvests, disrupted markets and soaring prices for many staple foods.

"As peace is returning to CAR, this initiative is a beam of hope for thousands of families," added Djossa.

Another 50,000 families will be supported during the second planting season in August/September, meaning 100,000 families in total (500,000 people) will be supported under the initiative this year.

The distribution of seeds and food is made possible by funds from the governments of (in alphabetical order) Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the African Development Bank, the European Union and ECHO, the Fonds Bêkou, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, the Common Humanitarian Fund for the Central African Republic, UN Women, and the World Bank.

With 75 percent of the population depending on agriculture, FAO, WFP and their partners have been working together since the beginning of the unrest to mitigate negative impacts on agricultural production and food security; the seeds protection initiative was first implemented in 2014.

The Government of the Central African Republic is leading a strategic effort to revive the agricultural sector. FAO and WFP are supporting the Government through longer-term programmes that aim to save and strengthen livelihoods and build resilience.

However, the two UN agencies warn that with only half of both agencies' funding needs secured, people in CAR face receiving only half of the support they need.

FAO is appealing for US$86 million to support 1.55 million people with inputs to produce crops and keep their livestock healthy, and strengthen the government's efforts to boost food security. However, there is a serious funding gap, to date only 8 percent of these requirements have been met.

WFP requires US$83 million to respond to the urgent needs of 1.4 million people until the end of September in CAR. and in neighbouring countries hosting Central African Republic refugees.

About FAO

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews.

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists 80 million people in around 80 countries. For more information visit: www.wfp.org or follow WFP on Twitter @WFP_Media and @WFP_WAfrica.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/416132/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/416132/icode/Tue, 24 May 2016 23:00:00 GMTBuilding resilience to enable vulnerable people cope with natural disasters and pandemic threats In developing countries, the agriculture sectors absorb around one quarter of damages and losses caused by climate-related events. Emerging or re-emerging disease threats are arising due to globalization, demographic growth, climate and land use change, as well an intensification of agricultural activity.

24 May 2016, Istanbul - Building resilience is crucial to enable fragile communities, especially in rural areas, cope with the increasing frequency and magnitude of natural disasters and the growing threat of pandemic diseases, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today told participants at the World Humanitarian Summit.

"We need to be prepared: with climate change, extreme weather events will happen more often and with greater intensity," he said.

In developing countries, the agriculture sectors absorb around one quarter of damages and losses caused by climate-related events with around 2.5 billion smallholders particularly at risk, Graziano da Silva noted.

Similarly, emerging or re-emerging disease threats are arising due to globalization, demographic growth, climate and land use change, as well an intensification of agricultural activity, he added.

"Agriculture, forestry and fisheries have a key role to play in changing the way we manage risk and crises. They are central to ensuring food security and nutrition in the face of climate change," Graziano da Silva said.

Social protection

In already volatile situations, extreme weather events put lives and livelihoods at greater risk and one "fundamental commitment" to address this is using social protection policies, the FAO Director-General noted.

FAO is a member of the Social Protection Inter-Agency Coordination Board, which is calling for prioritizing investments in prevention and resilience; building on humanitarian response mechanisms to leverage investments in nascent safety nets; and enhancing the response capacity of national and subnational actors.

Strengthening veterinary systems

Graziano da Silva also noted that some 60 percent of the new human pathogens, such as Ebola, SARS, Avian Influenza, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, have animal origins. Prevention, detection and response at their animal source is the only way these threats can be managed and controlled before they become epidemics or cause starvation and economic crises.

"But it requires access to affordable tools, vaccines and treatments, and more investment in early warning and early action to prevent disasters," he said, adding:"This is why strengthening veterinary systems is paramount to safeguarding human health, yet investment in this sector is weak".

He noted that FAO with the World Organisation for Animal Health, the World Health Organization and other partners is fully committed to the "One Health" approach that links animal and human health.

Concerted global efforts in health protection, with an emphasis on integrated and multidisciplinary approaches to health risk management are needed, Graziano da Silva said, stressing the need for vigilance.

He cited how coordinated international efforts helped many countries eliminate the H5N1 avian influenza virus from poultry, but that in 2014/2015 the disease made a comeback including re-entry into West Africa. This once again saw FAO and its partners at the forefront of combating this persistent disease.]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/416016/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/416016/icode/Tue, 24 May 2016 08:00:00 GMTNew Global Partnership for Preparedness launched A major new partnership to better prepare countries and communities for disasters is being launched today at the World Humanitarian Summit as a united response to a continuing rise in humanitarian emergencies. The partnership will strengthen preparedness capacities initially in 20 countries, so they attain a minimum level of readiness by 2020 for future disaster risks mainly caused by climate change.

24 May 2016, Istanbul - A major new partnership to better prepare countries and communities for disasters is being launched today at the World Humanitarian Summit as a united response to a continuing rise in humanitarian emergencies.

The new global partnership for preparedness (GPP) is led by the Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group of Ministers of Finance of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, which represents 43 high-risk developing nations, in collaboration with a number of UN agencies. These include the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) as well as the World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).

The partnership will strengthen preparedness capacities initially in 20 countries, so they attain a minimum level of readiness by 2020 for future disaster risks mainly caused by climate change.

Roberto B. Tan, Treasurer of the Philippines, representing the chair of the V20, says that the goal of the partnership with the international community is to make sure that when disasters strike, the mechanisms and support are in place so people can get back on their feet as soon as possible, therefore minimizing the impact on development gains and preventing uncontrolled humanitarian crises. "We know investment in preparedness saves lives and dollars and thus makes financial and economic sense. If we plan ahead, we will create a situation where instead of wave after wave of climate-driven natural disasters destroying what gains communities have made, they can pick up their lives again as soon as possible. Crises such as those from natural disasters and effects of climate change should no longer spin out of control," Treasurer Tan says.

United Nations Development Program Administrator Helen Clark says: "This partnership will help countries to reach an adequate level of preparedness for disasters and other shocks. The aim is to save lives, safeguard development gains, and reduce the economic impacts of crises. Importantly, this also safeguards development gains, which can otherwise be lost with each disaster, she said. "This new partnership puts at-risk countries in the driver's seat and brings together the work of development and humanitarian actors in a coherent way."

Stephen O'Brien, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator states: "Extreme weather and other shocks shouldn't become major humanitarian disasters if we better anticipate and plan for them ahead, and reinforce local response capacity. The global preparedness partnership led by countries most at risk of climate change through the V20 provides a key opportunity to make this happen".

Laura Tuck, Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank adds: "At the initiative of the Vulnerable Twenty Group of countries, we are joining UN agencies to support a global preparedness partnership to help build strong national and local institutions and ensure that planning and financing for preparedness are integral parts of countries' disaster management frameworks."

"The world's population that depends on farming, livestock, fishing and forests for their food and livelihoods, are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, whether provoked by extreme events such as storms, droughts, floods or earthquakes. Agriculture remains a key economic activity for millions of people across the developing world and the bedrock of food security," said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva. "This new effort will help build up the resilience of rural communities and boost national capacities to prepare for problems and respond effectively to disasters when they occur," he added.

"As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, there is a need to shift from a focus on crisis response to taking anticipatory actions to manage risks. The global preparedness partnership recognizes that predictable finance and strengthened government capacity are essential for saving lives and reducing the cost of responding to disasters", concludes Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme.

The partnership will become operational later this year and seeks to provide the initial 20 countries with support to achieve:

Better access to risk analysis and early warning;

Contingency plans with clear lines of responsibility, triggers for action, and pre-committed finance;

Developing social protection, basic services and delivery systems capable of responding to shocks.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/416017/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/416017/icode/Tue, 24 May 2016 04:00:00 GMTAgriculture sector key to protecting livelihoods, addressing conflict and climate change risks The Director-General noted that for decades FAO has worked in, and across both the humanitarian and development spheres in order to save lives, protect and restore livelihoods, combat hunger, malnutrition and poverty while striving to build resilience and sustainable food systems.

23 May 2016, Istanbul - Agriculture, forestry and fisheries are central to ensuring food security and protecting livelihoods and play a key role in changing the way we manage risks and crises including natural disasters stemming from climate change, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today told participants at the World Humanitarian Summit.

"Food and nutrition security, sustainable development, addressing humanitarian crises, conflict resolution and peace building: these are different facets of the same challenge," he said.

The first condition to resolve conflicts is finding political solutions and this requires states and governments to uphold their responsibilities, Graziano da Silva said.

"To move beyond business as usual, we need to broaden the scope of interventions - completing and supporting, not replacing - humanitarian response," he added. "We need to prioritize investments in prevention and resilience, precisely so that we can help reduce future humanitarian needs".

FAO commitments: from delivering aid to ending need

The Director-General noted that for decades FAO has worked in, and across both the humanitarian and development spheres in order to save lives, protect and restore livelihoods, combat hunger, malnutrition and poverty while striving to build resilience and sustainable food systems.

At the World Humanitarian Summit FAO is making several key commitments. These include scaling up the Organization's work on social protection and cash transfer programmes by linking them to agriculture and rural development, and scaling up initiatives that link more closely food security and climate change adaptation measures.

FAO is also committed to working with key partners including national governments, the private sector, civil society and local communities in developing an integrated framework for protracted crises that supports greater alignment among humanitarian, development, peace and human rights actors.

In this context, Graziano da Silva today joined UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other top officials from six other UN institutions at the Summit to sign the document "Commitment to Action: Transcending humanitarian-development divides - Changing People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need".

Among other things, the Commitment to Action refers to the new way of humanitarian work elaborated in the UN Secretary-General's report for the Summit One Humanity: Shared Responsibility.

It calls for a better use of resources and capabilities, improving the outcomes related to the Sustainable Development Goals for people in situations of risk, vulnerability and crisis in order to reduce humanitarian needs over the long term.

The Commitment also calls on the signatories to galvanize new partnerships and collaboration, including through the private sector, local actors or Multilateral Development Banks to provide additional capabilities and resources in support of achieving measurable outcomes for people and communities.

In addition the signatories pledged to introduce key changes to the way they work in contexts that enable the putting in place of: i) pooled and combined data, analysis and information; ii) better joined up planning and programming processes; iii) effective leadership for collective outcomes; and iv) financing modalities to support collective outcomes.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/415820/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/415820/icode/Mon, 23 May 2016 08:00:00 GMTUrgent action needed to help Ethiopia’s farmers produce food in main cropping season With just six weeks left before the start of the main cropping season in Ethiopia, FAO is calling for urgent funding to help farmers sow their fields and prevent drought-hit areas of the country from falling deeper into hunger and food insecurity. If seeds are not delivered in time, help will be too late to secure a decent harvest from the imminent meher season, which produces 85 percent of the nation's food supply, the UN agency said today.

29 April 2016, Rome - With just six weeks left before the start of the main cropping season in Ethiopia,FAO is calling for urgent funding to help farmers sow their fields and prevent drought-hit areas of the country from falling deeper into hunger and food insecurity. If seeds are not delivered in time, help will be too late to secure a decent harvest from the imminent meher season, which produces 85 percent of the nation's food supply, the UN agency said today.

Yet while the food security situation is worsening, the overall funding response to the crisis has so far been disappointing, with just 15 percent of FAO's 2016 appeal for Ethiopia covered.

"The meher season will be critical to improving families' food security and self-sufficiency in 2016. Seed distributions allowing farmers to plant crops and produce food must be a humanitarian priority," said the agency's country representative Amadou Allahoury Diallo. Decreasing dependence on external humanitarian assistance, he continued, will diminish the costs of food aid.

Some $10 million is needed by FAO within the next two weeks to distribute seeds to Ethiopian families at risk of hunger and losing their livelihoods. About 10.2 million people in Ethiopia are food insecure following successive crop failures and widespread livestock deaths caused by the El Niño-induced drought since early 2015. With this year's delayed and erratic spring rains, the situation may become worse in the most affected areas, particularly in the north.

Ethiopia's government has already dedicated considerable resources to the El Niño response and is working closely with FAO to help ramp up joint efforts.

Underserved districts

Nearly a third of all districts in the country - some 224 - are now severely food insecure. That number is some 20 percent higher than just three months ago.

Recent estimates by Ethiopia's Bureau of Agriculture indicate that some 1.7 million farming families are seed insecure, meaning they do not have the inputs required to plant in the meher season, which starts as early as mid-June for some crops, with planting ongoing until August for others.

More than 90 districts are currently not receiving any kind of emergency seed support or are insufficiently covered, according to FAO Surge Response Team Leader Pierre Vauthier. "It's these forgotten districts that FAO is targeting -- but without immediate funding support, some 150,000 households will miss their best chance of growing food to bring them through the year," he said.

Depleted seed reserves

For many households, seed reserves are extremely depleted following unsuccessful planting and re-planting in 2015, while families in the most affected areas have been forced to consume their seeds as food.

As a result of the poor 2015 harvest, farmers' income has been reduced and purchasing power constrained, further limiting their ability to buy the seeds and inputs they need to produce staple crops like maize, sorghum, teff, wheat, and root crops.

Because the spring rains were initially erratic and delayed, even those farmers who had seeds may not have planted enough to meet their household's needs, especially in the north.

A good meher season will improve food availability nationwide and enhance access to food and reduce reliance on external humanitarian assistance in the medium term.

FAO's response to El Niño

This year, FAO, together with the government and partners, has already distributed seed and planting materials for maize, sweet potato, Irish potato and vegetables in some of the most affected areas and continues to support livestock herders with distributions of survival animal feed. FAO is also helping farmers produce fodder and improve access to water for livestock. Herds across the country have also benefited from vaccination and treatment campaigns to address their increasing vulnerability to disease as a result of drought.

"A failure to deliver seed aid now will almost certainly mean a failure of the meher season for the most vulnerable, with dire consequences for food security. If we are to make a difference, the funds need to come in and they need to come in now," said Allahoury Diallo.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/412297/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/412297/icode/Thu, 28 Apr 2016 22:00:00 GMTAgriculture is key to achieving lasting peace in Central African Republic President Touadera, who took office last month, has made boosting agriculture and the rural economy one of his policy priorities. The President warmly thanked FAO for its continuous support during the crisis and acknowledged the current programmes and projects being implemented by the Organization in his country.

18 April 2016, Rome - FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today met Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera for talks that focused on rebuilding the country's agriculture sector and making it an engine for peace and sustainable development.

In particular, they discussed ways in which to tap into the Central African Republic's considerable agricultural potential and how to support family farmers and small holders to improve food security and nutrition and strengthen rural livelihoods.

Years of conflict and political instability have hampered agricultural activities on which nearly 75 percent of the country's population rely for food and income. Some 1.3 million people in the Central African Republic are severely food insecure.

President Touadera, who took office last month, has made boosting agriculture and the rural economy one of his policy priorities. The President warmly thanked FAO for its continuous support during the crisis and acknowledged the current programmes and projects being implemented by the Organization in his country.

"Implementing our ‘Disarming, Demobilisation and Reintegration of armed groups' strategy requires that we put all our efforts into the agriculture sector so that our population can meet their immediate and longer term needs. That is the main priority of my government," President Touadera said.

For his part, Graziano da Silva congratulated the President on his recent election and underscored how the establishment of a new constitutional order "brings hope for the country's stability and sustainable development."

"FAO, through its knowledge and experience, is ready to provide support in building a peaceful and inclusive society in the Central African Republic in particular for the young people in the context of a post conflict situation," Graziano da Silva added.

The FAO Director-General called on the international community to play its part. "What is crucial right now is maintaining food production and rebuilding the agricultural sector-- as it is key to employment, peace and stability -- while we have this window of opportunity. FAO will be part of that process," he said.

The Central African Republic has a dense network of water resources, abundant rainfall and a vast surface of land suitable for agriculture, but to date, only 5 percent of arable land is exploited each year, while only half of the available pastoral land is used for livestock.

There is a need to improve agricultural technologies and inputs, including seeds and fertilizers, but also strengthening rural policies such as land tenure reforms to allow wider access to rural jobs and livelihoods.

FAO's role

During the past three years of crisis, FAO has supported vulnerable communities affected by the conflict by helping to build up their resilience.

The organization has also engaged in trainings and capacity building of public officers and national partner non-governmental organizations in various sectors including income-generating activities, savings and loan schemes and food security analysis.

Plans for 2016 include: policy and strategy formulation for the development of the agriculture sector; restructuring of the Central African Republic's Chamber of Agriculture, Livestock, Water, Forests, Hunting and Tourism; development of small businesses to promote youth employment; and support of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration process through the engagement of communities in the recovery of the agriculture sector.

In 2016, FAO is appealing for $86 million to assist 1.5 million people. $36.5 million are immediately needed to support 550,000 of the most vulnerable farmers during the next planting season.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/411091/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/411091/icode/Sun, 17 Apr 2016 22:00:00 GMTDesert Locust outbreak in Yemen leaves surrounding countries potentially at risk Groups of juvenile wingless hoppers and adults as well as hopper bands and at least one swarm formed on the southern coast of Yemen in March where heavy rains associated with tropical cyclones Chapala and Megh fell in November 2015.

12 April 2016, Rome - The presence of recently discovered Desert Locust infestations in Yemen, where conflict is severely hampering control operations, poses a potential threat to crops in the region, FAO warned today. FAO urged neighbouring countries, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iran, to mobilize survey and control teams and to take all necessary measures to prevent the destructive insects from reaching breeding areas situated in their respective territories.

Strict vigilance is also required in Morocco and Algeria, especially in areas south of the Atlas Mountains, which could become possible breeding grounds for Desert Locust that have gathered in parts of the Western Sahara, Morocco and Mauritania, FAO added.

Cyclones help trigger locust presence

Groups of juvenile wingless hoppers and adults as well as hopper bands and at least one swarm formed on the southern coast of Yemen in March where heavy rains associated with tropical cyclones Chapala and Megh fell in November 2015.

"The extent of current Desert Locust breeding in Yemen is not well known since survey teams are unable to access most areas. However, as vegetation dries out along the coast more groups, bands and small swarms are likely to form," said Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer.

He noted that a moderate risk exists that Desert Locusts will move into the interior of southern Yemen, perhaps reaching spring breeding areas in the interior of central Saudi Arabia and northern Oman.

There is a possibility that this movement could continue to the United Arab Emirates where a few small swarms may appear and transit through the country before arriving in areas of recent rainfall in southeast Iran.

FAO is assisting technical teams from Yemen's Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation in conducting field survey and control operations in infested coastal areas, as part of the agency's continuing support to the country's locust control efforts.

FAO also warned that in northwest Africa, small groups and perhaps a few small swarms could find suitable breeding areas in Morocco (Draa Valley), Mauritania (near Zouerate) and Algeria. In addition,some small-scale Desert Locust breeding is likely to occur in southwestern Libya, but numbers should remain low.

The organization stressed the need for close monitoring in all of these areas over the next few months to prevent the insects from forming large, destructive swarms.

The Desert Locust situation in other countries remained calm in March with no significant developments detected or expected.

A force of nature

Desert Locust hoppers can form vast ground-based bands. These can eventually turn into adult locust swarms, which, numbering in the tens of millions can fly up to 150 km a day with the wind.

Female locusts can lay 300 eggs within their lifetime while an adult insect can consume roughly its own weight in fresh food per day -- about two grams every day. A very small swarm eats the same amount of food in one day as about 35,000 people and the devastating impact locusts can have on crops poses a major threat to food security, especially in already vulnerable areas.

Locust monitoring, early warning and preventive control measures are believed to have played an important role in the decline in the frequency and duration of plagues since the 1960s; however, today climate change is leading to more frequent, unpredictable and extreme weather and poses fresh challenges on how to monitor and respond to locust activity.

FAO operates a Desert Locust Information Service that receives data from locust-affected countries. This information is regularly analyzed together with weather and habitat data and satellite imagery in order to assess the current locust situation, provide forecasts up to six weeks in advance and if required issue warnings and alerts. FAO also undertakes field assessment missions and coordinates survey and control operations as well as assistance during locust emergencies. Its three regional locust commissions provide regular training and strengthen national capacities in survey, control and planning.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/409939/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/409939/icode/Tue, 12 Apr 2016 09:00:00 GMTAfrica makes great strides towards Zero Hunger, despite hurdles Africa has made great strides in tackling hunger -- achieving a 30 percent drop in the proportion of its people facing hunger over the 1990-2015 period -- but climate change, conflict and social inequality continue to present major challenges in the continent's quest for a future free from hunger and want, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.

7 April 2016, Abidjan – Africa has made great strides in tackling hunger -- achieving a 30 percent drop in the proportion of its people facing hunger over the 1990-2015 period -- but climate change, conflict and social inequality continue to present major challenges in the continent's quest for a future free from hunger and want, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.

While the overall proportion of Africans who are food insecure has dropped, there are "significant variations" in the numbers of food insecure can be seen from country to country, he noted.

"Africa's economic performance remains robust with growth rates above the global average. However, vulnerability to climate change is high, post-harvest losses are considerable, natural resources are being depleted, and not everyone is benefiting from the proceeds of the current strong economic growth. Access to remunerative income, social protection systems and decent employment opportunities remain narrow for too many rural households," FAO's Director-General said.

He was speaking at the official opening of the FAO' Regional Conference for Africa, taking place this week in Abidjan with the participation of the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire, Daniel Kablan Duncan..

Graziano da Silva urged his listeners to continue to work together to harness the power of the food and agriculture sector as a catalyst for inclusive growth, poverty reduction and fighting hunger, saying: “In spite of the many hurdles along the way, today I urge you to look at how far we have come in the journey to end hunger in our lifetimes.”

The conference's theme ''Transforming African Agri-food systems for inclusive growth and shared prosperity” mirrors the vision of the African Union and its NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency to realise a renewed vision for Africa's agriculture sector.

“This conference adds momentum to the push for a fundamental shift in the orientation of Africa's agricultural and rural development towards transforming the lives of Africans under the 2014 Malabo Declaration and outlined in the Africa's Agenda 2063”, the FAO Director-General said.

More than 300 people are participating in the event, including 51 African ministers of agriculture and related sectors, as well as technical experts and development specialists, representatives of regional organizations and institutions, members of civil society, and the private sector.

The ongoing El Niño cycle is affecting large parts of the African continent, especially the southern sub-region as well as parts of East Africa, notably Ethiopia and Tanzania, and has taken a major tool on agriculture, he noted, while conflicts in the Central African Republic, Somalia, and South Sudan continue to have serious food insecurity repercussions.

FAO is working in all these hotspots, providing farmers with seeds, tools, and other support vital to maintaining and strengthening their ability to produce food and earn income.

He also underscored the importance of preventing future disease epidemics like Ebola, which impacted food security and people's livelihoods in West Africa. FAO has recently launched a five-year programme in Africa to monitor and tackle emerging pandemic threats at their source in animals, working in 13 countries, he said. Africans for Africa

Delivering on the 2025 Zero Hunger challenge as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require the efforts of an alliance of partners, and

“FAO stands ready to support Africa member states in the delivery of the SDGs in firm collaboration with the African Union, other regional institutions and humanitarian and development partners,” Graziano da Silva said.

In support of CAADP, FAO has participated in the formulation of 95 agriculture and food security investment projects in 40 countries in Africa, with financial support from partners such as the AfDB World Bank and IFAD, the agency's Director-General pointed out.

And in 2012 FAO helped pioneer the innovative Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF), which mobilizes funds donated by African countries in support of food security projects in less-well off parts of the continent. So far, $34.5 million have been allocated to 15 programmes and projects in 36 different countries, boosting efforts to eradicate hunger.

He encouraged governments to continue to resource the fund, which is working to transforming African agriculture and make it an engine for shared growth and prosperity.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/409597/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/409597/icode/Thu, 07 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMTFood gap widens in conflict-stricken South Sudan - UN assessment Cereal prices have shot up nearly five-fold since early last year, making it increasingly difficult for people to get enough to eat, according to a new joint Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

5 April 2016, Juba - Civil strife and unfavourable rains have further reduced crop production in South Sudan, contributing to a cereal deficit of 381,000 tonnes --53 percent greater than in 2015 --and aggravating the already severe food shortages, two UN agencies warned today.

Cereal prices have shot up nearly five-fold since early last year, making it increasingly difficult for people to get enough to eat, according to a new joint Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

The crisis in South Sudan is marked by alarming levels of hunger. Some 5.8 million people, or nearly half of the country's population, are unsure where their next meal will come from, while the rate of severe food insecurity has now reached 12 percent, double the rate of one year ago.

"South Sudan is facing a deadly blend of conflict, economic hardship and poor rains. Together, they are worsening a hunger gap that we fear will force more people to go hungry and increase malnutrition," said WFP Country Director Joyce Luma. "This report makes it clear that improving the food situation requires a peaceful resolution to the conflict."

"Food insecurity has spread to areas previously considered relatively stable, highlighting the cumulative impact of conflict, economic downturn and climactic shocks," said Serge Tissot, FAO Representative in South Sudan.

Localised production failure, markets paralyzed by crisis

South Sudan's cereal shortfall is mainly the result of unfavourable rains in parts of the Bahr el-Ghazal and Equatoria states and disruptions to cropping activities caused by worsening insecurity.

South Sudanese families are forced to cope with soaring cereal prices, which are driven by a combination of the sharp devaluation of the local currency and higher transport costs.

Links between cereal-producing areas - mostly in the Equatoria and Bahr el-Ghazal states - and main markets have become extremely difficult due to heightened insecurity, a proliferation of roadblocks and exorbitant ad hoc taxes levied on commercial transporters along major trade routes.

"Despite huge potential for agricultural production - more than 90 percent of South Sudan's land is arable - just 4.5 percent of available land was under cultivation when the country gained independence in 2011. Now, after over two years of civil war, this percentage has significantly decreased due to widespread insecurity, damage to agricultural assets and limitations in traditional farming methods," said Tissot.

"Yet crop production is possible in the stable areas within conflict-affected states, and is more important than ever. Communities cannot rely on markets or aid deliveries for food, and therefore need to produce on their own," he added. "FAO is working with farmers, fishers and herders, providing them with emergency livelihood kits, seeds, tools, animal health support and training."

Bridging the food gap

The report makes a series of recommendations for immediate action to address hunger, strengthen domestic food production and reduce the food gap in 2016 and into next year.

Most urgent is the need for an immediate improvement of security across the country. In addition, agencies like WFP, FAO and partner organizations need sustained access and resources to provide targeted food and livelihood assistance to the very vulnerable households in areas with the highest levels of food insecurity, especially in parts of Greater Upper Nile and Eastern Equatoria. Where appropriate, provision of livelihoods assistance - such as seeds or tools - that allow communities to produce their own food is required to withstand market disruptions. Improving people's access to micronutrient- and protein-rich food could be achieved through the distribution of fishing kits and use of nutrition vouchers to be traded for locally sourced vegetables, fish and milk.

Other recommendations include: supporting the 2016 cropping season across all of South Sudan by ensuring access to agricultural and fisheries inputs; strengthening farmer and pastoral field schools; expanding veterinary campaigns aimed at keeping people's livestock healthy; and, in conflict-affected areas, assisting in re-establishing livelihoods whenever possible by helping in land preparation and access to inputs.

In 2016, FAO and WFP, together with their partners, will support efforts that aim to increase food availability, strengthen livelihoods and build resilience.

Under the 2016 Humanitarian Appeal, FAO appealed for $45 million to assist 2.8 million people with seeds, tools and other inputs to produce food and keep their livestock healthy, and strengthen the Government's efforts to boost food security. The current funding gap is 16.1 million to meet this goal.

WFP plans to provide food assistance and specialized nutrition support for about 3 million people in South Sudan in 2016, but has a funding gap of $241 million for the next six months.

# # #

About FAO

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews @FAOSouthSudan

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. Follow WFP on Twitter @WFP_Media @WFP_Africa

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/407778/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/407778/icode/Tue, 05 Apr 2016 08:00:00 GMTUN urges stronger, coordinated international response to address El Niño impacts The appeal came at a meeting organized in Rome by four UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

23 March 2016, Rome - The United Nations has called for a stronger response by governments, aid organizations and the private sector to address the devastating impact the El Niño climate event is having on the food security, livelihoods, nutrition and health of some 60 million people around the world.

The appeal came at a meeting organized in Rome by four UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Participants, including representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations and other UN agencies, took stock of the growing impacts of the current El Niño, which is considered as one of the strongest in history.

They noted that more than $2.4 billion are needed for current El Niño emergency and recovery-responses and currently there is a $1.5 billion gap in funding.

A global crisis

El Niño-related impacts have been felt across the globe since mid 2015. Among these are severe or record droughts in Central America, the Pacific region, East Timor, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and in Southern Africa. In addition, floods have affected certain parts of Somalia and the Tanzania, devastating forest fires have once again resurfaced in Indonesia while some regions has witnessed storms, as in the case of Fiji with Tropical Cyclone Winston.

These disasters have resulted in a wide range of consequences, most importantly, severe increases in hunger, malnutrition, water- and vector-borne diseases and the prevalence of animal and plant pests and diseases. Increasingly, populations are on the move: families across the globe are being forced into distress migration, both within and across borders, as their sources of livelihood disappear.

The meeting underscored that while the 2015-2016 El Niño has passed its peak as a meteorological phenomenon, it will continue to influence temperature and rainfall patterns causing extreme events in different parts of the world. These pose risks to health, water supply and food security - the numbers of those threatened by hunger as a result are expected to grow. These effects could last for long after the El Nino phenomenon has subsided.

Long-term impacts include higher malnutrition rates - some 1 million children are in need of treatment for severe malnutrition in Eastern and Southern Africa - and an increase in poverty, rendering vulnerable households less resilient to future shocks, and stalling countries' progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

People relying on livestock for their livelihoods are particularly vulnerable given the long time frame required to rebuild herd numbers which have been decimated by drought. Sparse or absent rains also result in a loss of soil productivity and greater land degradation, factors that contribute to desertification.

Acting now, preparing for the future

The meeting ended with a series of commitments by FAO, IFAD, OCHA and WFP aimed at urgently scaling up responses to the current El Niño crisis while also ensuring a more effective response to similar events in the future.

The agencies committed to working closely with resource partners to help address the funding gap. One important way of doing this is to help prioritize the geographical areas that require urgent attention. They also pledged to work with governments, aid organizations, other development partners as well as the private sector to assist the worst hit populations with a mix of short-, medium- and longer-term efforts, including scaling up of existing social protection schemes.

Looking to the longer term, they also agreed that there is a need to redouble efforts to support and build the capacity of national governments to mitigate and respond to future El Niño and other climate-related events. As part of this, FAO, IFAD, OCHA and WFP said they would work with development partners to ensure that disaster risk reduction projects are stepped up in the most vulnerable areas.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/389418/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/389418/icode/Tue, 22 Mar 2016 23:00:00 GMTGlobal crop prospects benign, but hunger intensifies in areas suffering from conflict Thirty-four countries, including 27 in Africa, are currently in need of external assistance for food, due to drought, flooding and civil conflicts, according to FAO's new edition of the Crop Prospects and Food Situation, released today. The figure has grown from 33 last December, after the addition of Swaziland.

9 March 2016, Rome - Thirty-four countries, including 27 in Africa, are currently in need of external assistance for food due to drought, flooding and civil conflicts, according to a new edition of FAO's Crop Prospects and Food Situation report released today.

The figure has grown from 33 last December, after the addition of Swaziland.

Drought associated with El Nino has "sharply reduced" 2016 crop production prospects in Southern Africa, while expectations for the harvest in Morocco and Algeria have been lowered due to dry conditions.

Also in areas of Central America and the Caribbean, ongoing dry conditions linked to El Nino may affect sowings of the main season crops for the third consecutive year.

Moreover, persistent conflicts in Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen, Somalia, and the Central African Republic have taken a heavy toll on the agricultural sector, further worsening the humanitarian crisis in those countries.

In most cases, the impact of conflict extends into neighbouring countries such as Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo that are hosting refugee populations.

In several countries already in need of external assistance for food, conditions generally worsened in the past three months, according to the report from FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS), mainly in the Southern Africa sub-region, where food prices have reached record highs.

The report also warned that last year's reduced production would negatively impact the food security situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, where "most households were already estimated to have borderline or poor food consumption."

Elsewhere, the outlook for the 2016 crops already in the ground, mostly winter grains in the northern hemisphere, is generally favourable. Early forecasts indicate large 2016 wheat crops in most countries of Asia.

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/386787/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/386787/icode/Wed, 09 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMTEthiopian farmers need urgent assistance to feed country caught in major drought Timely agricultural assistance for the upcoming rainy season is essential to help the drought-affected people of Ethiopia, as one of the strongest El Niño events on record continues to have devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of farmers and herders.

7 March 2016, Rome - Timely agricultural assistance for the upcoming rainy season is essential to help the drought-affected people of Ethiopia, as one of the strongest El Niño events on record continues to have devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of farmers and herders.

Humanitarian needs in Ethiopia have tripled since the beginning of 2015 as the drought has led to successive crop failures and widespread livestock deaths.

As a result, food insecurity and malnutrition rates are alarming in the Horn of Africa country, with some 10.2 million people now food insecure. One-quarter of all districts in Ethiopia are officially classified as facing a food security and nutrition crisis.

With planting for the country's first rainy season, the belg, already delayed and the meher season - Ethiopia's main agricultural campaign - fast approaching, farmers need immediate support to help them produce food between now and September for millions facing hunger.

"FAO urgently needs $13 million by the end of March to support more than 600,000 of the worst affected people," said FAO country representative Amadou Allahoury Diallo.

"We're expecting that needs will be particularly high during the next few weeks," he added, "so it's critical that we're able to respond quickly and robustly to reboot agriculture now before the drought further decimates the food security and livelihoods of millions."

The meher produces up to 85 percent of the nation's food supplies.

Recent estimates by Ethiopia's Bureau of Agriculture indicate that some 7.5 million farmers and herders need immediate agricultural support to produce staple crops like maize, sorghum, teff, wheat, and root crops, and livestock feed to keep their animals healthy and resume production.

Farming families have either exhausted seed reserves through successive failed plantings, or have consumed them as food.

Animal feed stocks are also depleted, and support is needed to enable families to produce fodder. Hundreds of thousands of livestock have already died and the animals that remain are becoming weakerand thinnerdue to poor grazing resources, feed shortages and limited water availability, leading to sharp declines in milk and meat production.

"It's important to understand the current drought is not just a food crisis - it is above all a livelihood crisis," said Allahoury Diallo, who highlighted that last year's losses have severely diminished households' food security and purchasing power and forced many to sell their last remaining agricultural assets.

Meeting immediate needs of farmers now is essential to longer-term recovery, as it helps farmers feed their country and keep their productive assets intact.

FAO's call for $13 million by the end of March is part of the agency's larger $50million appeal for its Ethiopia El Niño Response Plan. But currently less than 10 percent of the plan is funded.

FAO's response to El Niño

As part of the emergency response, FAO is already providing planting materials to help seed- and food-insecure households in the worst-affected regions plant in the belg and meher seasons. But this support urgently needs to be scaled up.

In an effort to preserve livestock, FAO has been distributing nutrient blocks in pastoral and agropastoral areas meant to strengthen livestock and bolster the resilience of the cooperatives that produce them. FAO is also providing survival animal feed and support to help farmers produce fodder and improve access to water for livestock. Herds across the country have also benefited from vaccination and treatment campaigns to address their increasing vulnerability as a result of drought.

In Ethiopia's Somali Region, FAO is enhancing the financial stability of drought-affected households through the purchase of weak sheep and goats for immediate, local slaughter - and providing the meat - rich in protein - to nutritionally vulnerable drought-affected families. The intervention will help reduce stress on available feed, enable households to focus their resources on their remaining productive animals, and invest in productive assets.

In addition, FAO is closely working with the government to conduct seasonal assessments and develop preparedness and response plans, along with guidelines for emergency agriculture support.

1 March 2016, Rome – Three years of conflict and ongoing displacements in the Central African Republic (CAR) continue to disrupt agriculture and severely constrain people’s access to food, as they struggle with the effects of multiple poor harvests, disrupted markets and soaring prices for many staple foods, two UN agencies warned today.

The country's overall crop production in 2015 remained 54 percent below the pre-crisis average, despite a 10 percent increase from 2014 mostly due to a rise in cassava production, according to the latest Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM), conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Cereal harvests continued to decline last year, with production 70 percent lower than the pre-crisis average. Overall crop production in 2015 amounted to 838,671 tonnes, around one million tonnes less than the average before the crisis.

"The latest numbers are cause for concern not only because people skip meals and cut portions, but also because they opt for less nutritious foods that provide far less of the proteins and vitamins they need," said FAO Country Representative Jean-Alexandre Scaglia. "Some 75 percent of people in CAR depend on agriculture, and with the planting season starting in less than two months, boosting agriculture now is crucial to revitalizing the economy and to stability in the country," he added.

"The situation is dire. Half of the population faces hunger," said Bienvenu Djossa, WFP Country Director in CAR. "It is crucial that we continue helping the most vulnerable, who need emergency food assistance to survive. WFP and FAO are also working together to provide seeds to plant and food to eat during the planting period. This is the time when people need the maximum help possible as it is also the lean season, when people struggle to have enough food to eat before the next harvest."

The heavy toll of insecurity

The report's findings further show how three years of insecurity - which has led to nearly one million people being uprooted from their homes - is still exerting a heavy toll on the people of the Central African Republic:

Killings and looting brought the number of cattle down to almost half compared to pre-crisis levels, and the number of goats and sheep shrank by as much as 57 percent.

Damage to infrastructure and insecurity has limited fishing activities, resulting in 40 percent less fish caught in 2015 compared to 2012.

Disrupted markets and the latest escalation of violence in September 2015 saw food prices soar. Prices of protein-rich groundnut and wheat flour were 74 and 28 percent higher than their pre-crisis levels, respectively. Prices of beef in October were almost double; fish was, on average, 70 percent more expensive than before the crisis.

People have seen their purchasing power shrink by about one third in 2015, compared with 2012, and 67 percent of the people surveyed reported that they have less food compared to the previous year.

Response to the crisis

FAO, WFP and their partners have been working together since the beginning of the unrest to mitigate its negative impacts on agricultural production and food security.

In 2015, FAO assisted some 170,900 households with seeds and tools, which have yielded about 40,000 tonnes of agricultural products and directly benefited about 854,500 people. This helped reduce families' dependence on humanitarian assistance and stabilize their incomes. WFP supported the operation by providing food rations to more than 65,000 farming families to prevent them from using their remaining seeds for food rather than planting and thus protect their capacity to produce in future seasons.

In addition to its work with FAO, WFP provided food through various activities including school meals and emergency food assistance to some 900,000 people.

Other FAO interventions in 2015 included large-scale livestock vaccination campaigns and support to the government's efforts to rebuild the country's seed supply capacity.

The Government of the Central African Republic has begun a strategic effort to revive the agricultural sector and facilitate the reintegration of vulnerable people by helping youth and family farms improve their capacity to produce.

In 2016, FAO and WFP, with the help of partners, will support these efforts through longer-term programmes that aim to save and strengthen livelihoods and build resilience. As part of the joint seeds protection programme, FAO aims to provide seeds and tools to 95,000 farming families while WFP plans to provide them with food rations.

FAO is appealing for $86 million to support 1.55 million people with inputs to produce crops and keep their livestock healthy, and strengthen the government's efforts to boost food security.

WFP requires $89 million to respond to urgent needs of 1.4 million people until the end of July in CAR, and in neighbouring countries hosting CAR refugees. To date, about half of the required funding has been secured.

About FAO

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews.

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. For more information visit: www.wfp.org or follow WFP on Twitter @WFP_Media and @WFP_WAfrica.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/384954/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/384954/icode/Sun, 28 Feb 2016 23:00:00 GMTEl Niño set to have a devastating impact on southern Africa’s harvests and food security Southern Africa is currently in the grip of an intense drought that has expanded and strengthened since the earliest stages of the 2015-2016 agricultural season, driven by one of the strongest El Niño events of the last 50 years.

FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; FEWS NET - Famine Early Warning Systems Network; JRC - European Commission's Joint Research Centre;WFP - World Food Programme12 February 2016, Rome - Southern Africa is currently in the grip of an intense drought that has expanded and strengthened since the earliest stages of the 2015-2016 agricultural season, driven by one of the strongest El Niño events of the last 50 years.

Across large swathes of Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, and Madagascar, the current rainfall season has so far been the driest in the last 35 years. Agricultural areas in northern Namibia and southern Angola have also experienced high levels of water deficit.

Much of the southern African sub-region has consequently experienced significant delays in planting and very poor conditions for early crop development and pasture re-growth. In many areas, planting has not been possible due to 30 to 50 day delays in the onset of seasonal rains resulting in widespread crop failure.

Although there has been some relief since mid-January in certain areas, the window of opportunity for the successful planting of crops under rain-fed conditions is nearly closed. Even assuming normal rainfall for the remainder of the season, cropwater balance models indicate poor performance of maize over a widespread area.

Seasonal forecasts from a variety of sources (1) are unanimous in predicting a continuation of below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures across most of the region for the remainder of the growing season.

The combination of a poor 2014-2015 season, an extremely dry early season (October to December) and forecasts for continuing hot and drier-than-average conditions through mid-2016, suggest a scenario of extensive, regional-scale crop failure.

South Africa has issued a preliminary forecast of maize production for the coming harvest of 7.4 million tonnes, a drop of 25 percent from the already poor production levels of last season and 36 percent below the previous five-year average.

These conditions follow a 2014-2015 agricultural season that was similarly characterized by hot, dry conditions and a 23percent drop in regional cereal production.

This drop has increased the region's vulnerability due to the depletion of regional cereal stocks and higher-than-average food prices, and has substantially increased food insecurity. Even before the current crisis began, the number of food-insecure people in the region (not including South Africa), already stood at 14 million (2), according to the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

As of early February, FEWS NET estimates that, of this total, at least 2.5 million people are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and require urgent humanitarian assistance to protect livelihoods and household food consumption.

The numbers of the food insecure population are now increasing due to the current drought and high market prices (maize prices in South Africa and Malawi were at record highs in January).

Drought emergencies have been declared in most of South Africa's provinces as well as in Zimbabwe and Lesotho. Water authorities in Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa and Namibia are limiting water usage because of low water levels. Power outages have been occurring in Zambia and Zimbabwe as water levels at the Kariba Dam have become much lower than usual.

While it is too early to provide detailed estimates of the population likely to be food-insecure in 2016-2017, it is expected that the population in need of emergency food assistance and livelihood recovery support will increase significantly. Additional assistance will be required to help food-insecure households manage an extended 2016 lean season.

In the short term, the following actions are required:

continued close monitoring of the season to inform decision-making on programming and targeting;

immediate additional assistance to help currently food-insecure households;

updating of contingency plans, intensification of advocacy and resource mobilization to address the impact of an extended post-2016 harvest lean season;

increased awareness-raising of the need for a regional approach to address the effects of drought that are becoming more frequent and intense.

Over the coming year, humanitarian partners should prepare themselves for food insecurity levels and food insecure population numbers in southern Africa to be at their highest levels since the 2002-2003 food crisis.

This statement reflects a shared view of current conditions and the likely evolution of the situation in southern Africa by major actors involved in global food security monitoring and early warning. Further details can be obtained from the following reports:

this WFP report for official SADC numbers at the start of the season. Not including South Africa, the 14 million includes 7.6 million in currently drought affected countries, plus 6.6 million in DRC (where conflict, not drought is the driver of food insecurity) and 0.4 million in Tanzania, which is not drought-affected during El Niño. South Africa is excluded as its figures are not directly comparable.]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382932/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382932/icode/Wed, 10 Feb 2016 23:00:00 GMTZika: FAO Director-General says agency is ready to contribute to international efforts As the leading UN agency on animal health and pest control, FAO can assist affected nations with targeted interventions while ensuring that people and the environment are not exposed to health and other risks stemming from the inappropriate use of potentially dangerous chemicals.

9 February 2016, Rome - Under the lead of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations system is mobilizing a coordinated response to Zika aimed at minimizing the threat in affected countries and reducing the risk of further international spread.

"FAO with its resources and expertise, is ready to do its part in addressing this emergency which continues to evolve," said the agency's Director-General, José Graziano da Silva in a statement issued today.

"Zika virus is transmitted to humans primarily by Aedes mosquitoes and a critical measure to combat the spread of the disease is to intensify control of mosquito populations in affected and at-risk areas.

As the leading UN agency on animal health and pest control, FAO can assist affected nations with targeted interventions while ensuring that people and the environment are not exposed to health and other risks stemming from the inappropriate use of potentially dangerous chemicals.

It is likely that at least in the short term we will see a dramatic increase in the use of insecticides to spray mosquito populations or treat waters. A more immediate and relatively simple set of actions that can be taken to combat the spread of the Zika virus is to ensure the removal of stagnant water used by mosquitos to breed.

Affected communities need to be encouraged and assisted to ensure that animal drinking water containers are emptied, cleaned and scrubbed weekly. Ponds and other areas where stagnant water collects should also be drained and removed.

FAO strongly urges that if the intensive use of insecticides is indeed required, then it is essential that it be done with great care to promote safety for humans and to protect the food chain from contamination. On this we are in a strong position to provide support to affected countries and regions combating the spread of Zika.

FAO, in a joint programme with WHO, has developed a set of recommendations on the sound management of insecticides. For example it is important that high quality pesticides are used and mixed according to the manufacturer's instructions, to promote both efficacy and safety.

FAO's work on agriculture and health threats of animal origin due to climate change, agro-ecosystems and land use policies, early warning of possible disease events, such as what is done with partners on Rift Valley fever - a disease also transmitted by mosquitoes in Africa - can be useful to forecast and ensure countries have their preparedness plans in place in the Americas. Through its work in monitoring weather patterns, it is possible for FAO to analyze the movements and changing habitats of theAedes mosquito vectors which can be important in mitigating or preventing the disease.

FAO's proven record in animal disease control - as it has done with rinderpest, avian influenza or tsetse-borne trypanosomosis - can be beneficial for countries in Latin America and Caribbean to address this problem together.

But besides the use of insecticides, there are other ways to combat the spread of the Zika virus.

One possible longer term solution is the Sterile Insect Technique that has been developed at the FAO-IAEA Joint Programme on Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. This is a form of pest control that uses ionizing radiation to sterilize male insect pests that are mass-produced in special rearing facilities. It has been successfully used worldwide for over 50 years for various agricultural insect pests, such as fruit flies, tsetse flies, screw worms and moths. Its deployment against disease-transmitting mosquitoes, such as the carrier of the Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue viruses, is ongoing with some pilots already successfully completed and others showing promising results.

FAO can contribute to these and other measures. For instance our vast network of workers at field level who for decades have worked with communities and families and have built trusting relationships can bring the right health and safety messages to the people who need them most.

The human toll from this emergency is potentially devastating and we must work closely together to ensure it is brought under control".

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382455/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382455/icode/Mon, 08 Feb 2016 23:00:00 GMTUN agencies warn of escalating food crisis in South Sudan South Sudan is facing unprecedented levels of food insecurity, as 2.8 million people - nearly 25 percent of the country's population - remain in urgent need of food assistance, and at least 40,000 people are on the brink of catastrophe, three UN agencies warned today.

Joint FAO-UNICEF-WFP News Release8 February 2016, Juba - South Sudan is facing unprecedented levels of food insecurity, as 2.8 million people — nearly 25 percent of the country's population — remain in urgent need of food assistance, and at least 40,000 people are on the brink of catastrophe, three UN agencies warned today.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) stressed that these numbers are particularly worrisome because they show an increase in hunger during the post-harvest period — a time when the country is traditionally most food secure.

The number of food insecure people is expected to peak during the coming lean season — traditionally worst between April and July — when food availability is lowest. Humanitarian partners have released an update to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which projects that the lean season will start early this year, and the hunger period will be longer than in previous years.

The three UN agencies noted that the dry season, which is now beginning, could bring additional hardship to people facing the most severe levels of hunger. People displaced in conflict-affected Unity State, who have been living on fish and water lilies to survive, are running out of their only remaining sources of food as the floods recede. Livestock raiding has robbed many people of essential animal products like milk, which were their main means of survival during last year's lean season. Unless humanitarian assistance can reliably reach them during the dry season, they face catastrophe in the coming months.

For this reason, the UN agencies are calling for a speedy implementation of the peace agreement signed last year, and for unrestricted access to conflict areas to deliver much needed supplies to the most affected areas.

"It is not only areas directly affected by conflict that are food insecure — some 200,000 people in Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Warrap states have also seen their access to food deteriorate, owing to factors such as price inflation and market disruptions that are tied to the conflict," said Serge Tissot, Acting FAO Representative in South Sudan. "Prompt implementation of the peace agreement is absolutely critical to improving the food situation."

"During the dry season, we must make a massive pre-positioning effort so that we can continue assisting people after roads become impassable once the rains come," said WFP Country Director Joyce Luma. "Rising insecurity in Greater Equatoria is hampering delivery of humanitarian assistance through major routes, setting back our efforts to prepare and respond to people who are most in need."

Today's IPC report also highlights the overall prevalence of emergency levels of malnutrition as an issue of grave concern. Malnutrition in South Sudan is attributed mostly to inadequate food consumption, along with other factors such as disease, dietary habits, as well as constrained health and nutrition service delivery.

"Families have been doing everything they can to survive but they are now running out of options," said Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF representative in South Sudan. "Many of the areas where the needs are greatest are out of reach because of the security situation. It's crucial that we are given unrestricted access now. If we can reach them, we can help them."

Working with a large number of international and local non-governmental organizations, FAO, UNICEF and WFP continue to deliver life- and livelihood-saving support under difficult circumstances.

FAO plans to assist 2.8 million people in producing food and protecting their livestock assets in 2016, compared to 2.4 million people reached last year. FAO emergency livelihood support includes crop kits, vegetable kits, fishing kits and livestock vaccinations of more than 5 million head of cattle.

UNICEF has set a target of treating more than 165,000 children for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2016. Last year the number of children treated for SAM surpassed 144,000, which was a 53 percent increase over 2014.

WFP delivered food and nutrition assistance to some 3 million people across South Sudan in the last year, working with 87 NGO partners and using every tool at its disposal, including airdrops, river barges, cash-based transfers, local food purchases and specialized nutritious foods.

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. For more information visit: www.fao.org or follow FAO on Twitter @FAOnews @FAOSouthSudan

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org or follow UNICEF on Facebook and Twitter.

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. Follow WFP on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_africa]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382511/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382511/icode/Mon, 08 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMTSomalia continues to face large-scale food insecurity compounded by poor rainfall and drought Somalia will continue to face large-scale food insecurity between now and June 2016 as a result of poor rainfall and drought conditions in several areas, trade disruptions, and a combination of protracted and new population displacements.

8 February 2016, Nairobi/Washington - Somalia will continue to face large-scale food insecurity between now and June 2016 as a result of poor rainfall and drought conditions in several areas, trade disruptions, and a combination of protracted and new population displacements -- all of which have been exacerbated by chronic poverty. Acute malnutrition remains high in many parts of the country.

The latest findings from a joint countrywide seasonal assessment by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit for Somalia (FSNAU, a project managed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), a project funded by USAID, indicate that 931,000 people will be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3)* and 22,000 more people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) across Somalia through June 2016. Of the total number of people in Crisis and Emergency, internally displaced persons (IDPs) represent 68 percent, rural populations 26 percent, and urban populations 6 percent.

Approximately 3.7 million additional people across the country are classified as Stressed (IPC Phase 2) through mid-2016.

In total, the assessment reports that nearly 4.7 million people or 38 percent of the total population of Somalia are acutely food insecure and will be in need of humanitarian assistance between now and June 2016.

The assessment involved 39 separate nutrition surveys conducted from October to December 2016 by FSNAU and partners across Somalia.

Results from these surveys indicate that an estimated 304,700 children under the age of five were acutely malnourished at the time of the survey. This includes 58,300 children under the age of five that are severely malnourished and face increased risk of morbidity and death.

Despite changes in seasonal food security and livelihood outcomes and continued humanitarian interventions, critical rates of acute malnutrition (i.e. 15% or more Global Acute Malnutrition - GAM) persist among several population groups. This shows the protracted nature of the nutrition crisis among these groups. Almost all of the past seven seasonal assessments (conducted twice a year) have reported Critical GAM rates amongst: Bari Urban, Garowe IDPs, Galkayo IDPs, Mataban District, Beletweyne District, Bay Agropastoral, Dollow IDPs, North Gedo Pastoral and North Gedo Riverine.

Urgent nutrition and health support for the acutely malnourished is needed now and through mid-2016. However, this is not enough for populations experiencing persistently high levels of acute malnutrition. They need additional multifaceted interventions aimed at addressing underlying causes and contributing factors.

Urgent lifesaving humanitarian assistance and livelihood support is required for populations in Emergency and Crisis (IPC Phases 4 and 3) through June 2016. Populations experiencing Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food insecurity remain highly vulnerable to shocks that could push them back to Crisis or Emergency (IPC Phases 3 or 4). They should be supported in order to protect their livelihoods and boost their resilience to shocks.

A longer version of this technical release was originally issued from Nairobi and Washington by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit - Somalia (FSNAU) and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET). For more information and additional details, read the full technical release.

* The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a set of tools and procedures to classify the severity of food insecurity using an widely accepted five-phase scale. At the area level, it divides areas into the following phases: IPC Phase 1=Minimal; Phase 2=Stressed; Phase 3=Crisis; Phase 4=Emergency; and Phase 5=Famine.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382546/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382546/icode/Sun, 07 Feb 2016 23:00:00 GMTSupport for agriculture in Syria critical with massive food insecurity adding to suffering As world leaders met in London today to raise funds in support of millions of people affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria, FAO stressed the urgent need to help farming families produce food to meet basic needs.

4 February 2016, Rome -- As world leaders met in London today to raise funds in support of millions of people affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria, FAO stressed the urgent need to help farming families produce food to meet basic needs.

Within Syria, 8.7 million are in need of food security assistance, out of an estimated 13.5 million people who continue to be in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

"Farmers want to stay on their land - but if we fail to support them, they will have no choice but to abandon their farms, joining the growing contingent of refugees and internally displaced people in search of food, shelter and income opportunities elsewhere," he added.

In all, half of the people that remain in Syria today do not have enough food to eat and are unable to meet their basic food needs.

Another 4.6 million Syrians have crossed borders to become refugees in neighbouring countries. This not only puts stress on refugee families but also on their host communities, many of which struggle to cope with the influx of people.

Moreover, in the past 18 months, prices for wheat flour have tripled in some markets inside Syria and rice prices have risen more than six fold.

Unemployment, inflation, and the depreciation of the Syrian pound, meanwhile, have further eroded the capacity of families to feed themselves and cope amidst the crisis.

Massive displacements and migration of rural populations are progressively depriving the rural sector of its human capital and much needed skills, contributing to a vicious circle where lack of protection, erosion of livelihoods base and loss of economic opportunities become inextricably linked.

Agriculture remains main source of employment in rural areas

A lack of access to seeds and other essential farming supplies is making it very difficult for farmers to continue to grow food and keep their livestock healthy.

According to the latest assessments, Syria's 2015 wheat production alone was 40 percent lower than the pre-conflict average, increasing the need for imports and dealing a further blow to food security in the country.

The livestock sector, too, has taken a significant hit, with 30 percent fewer cattle, 40 percent fewer goats and only half the number of poultry left in 2015, compared with 2011, as infrastructure is destroyed, animals fall sick or are looted, or families are forced to sell or slaughter their livestock to cope.

In neighbouring countries, agriculture has been identified by many as one of the sectors that can boost local economies and offer greater labour market and employment opportunities for both refugees and host communities.

But in order to fulfil that potential, adequate resources need to be mobilized quickly to help farmers rebuild and maintain production now.

"Today, the international donor community is coming together to support the Syrian people amidst one of the most brutal conflicts of the 21st Century," said Thomas. "In that global response agriculture simply cannot be an afterthought -- it has to be recognized as essential to people's livelihoods and a prerequisite for peace."

FAO response to the crisis

As part of the UN's $3.18 billion Syria Response Plan, FAO is asking for $87 million to support 2.9 million vulnerable people improve their access to food, better nutrition and income through 2016.

Last year, FAO reached 1.5 million people across the country with distributions of wheat and barley seeds, vegetable production kits, and live poultry. Animal feed and livestock vaccination campaigns, in turn, have kept remaining herds healthy while vulnerable families who have lost livestock benefited from distribution of sheep to rebuild their livelihoods.

Investing in the capacity of farmers to produce food locally is not only effective in improving the food security of people who have remained in Syria but also in preventing further migration in the coming months.

Only $200, for example, allow a farmer to produce enough wheat to feed a family of six for a year.

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382181/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/382181/icode/Wed, 03 Feb 2016 23:00:00 GMTFAO warns of rapidly deteriorating food security in Yemen More than half of the total population of Yemen -- some 14.4 million people - are food insecure, as ongoing conflict and import restrictions have reduced the availability of essential foods and sent prices soaring, FAO said today.

28 January 2016, Sana'a - More than half of the total population of Yemen — some 14.4 million people — are food insecure, as ongoing conflict and import restrictions have reduced the availability of essential foods and sent prices soaring, FAO said today.

The number of food insecure people has grown by 12 percent since June 2015 (36 percent since late 2014), according to the UN agency.

"Food insecurity and malnutrition are becoming highly critical," said Salah Elhajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Yemen, calling for urgent support to assist families in growing food and protect their livestock as well as measures to facilitate much-needed food and fuel imports.

"The numbers are staggering," added Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Deputy Representative and Emergency Response Team Leader in Yemen, who called the situation "a forgotten crisis, with millions of people in urgent need across the country."

"Under these critical conditions, it's more important than ever to help families produce their own food and reduce their dependence on increasingly scarce and costly food imports," he added.

Fuel shortages and restrictions on imports — which Yemen relies on for more than 90 percent of its staple foods — have reduced the availability of essential food commodities and caused food and fuel prices to soar since conflict escalated in March 2015.

Yemen is heavily dependent on these imports, as only 4 percent of the country's land is arable and only a fraction of that land is currently used for food production.

Some 2.3 million people are internally displaced within Yemen — an increase of more than 400 percent compared with January 2015. This puts additional pressure on host communities already struggling with limited food resources.

Impacts on livelihoods

Crop production, livestock rearing and fisheries employ 50 percent of Yemen's workforce and are the main sources of livelihoods for two-thirds of the country.

But a shortage of critical inputs like seeds and fertilizers have severely reduced crop production, with estimates suggesting the recent conflict has caused dramatic losses to the agriculture sector.

Diminishing income opportunities and disrupted markets are exacerbating the immense needs already present in Yemen prior to the current conflict.

Livelihoods support is critical for rural population who are often out of reach from humanitarian assistance.

Adding to the dire situation, Yemen was hit by two cyclones in November 2015, which heavily disrupted fishers' livelihoods along the country's coast lines.

To support people's immediate food needs, FAO has been working with local women's groups to support backyard farming through the distribution of seeds, tools and chickens that improve family nutrition and create extra income at market.

To vulnerable farmers operating larger plots, FAO will be providing solar-powered irrigation pumps with the help of water-user associations, allowing farmers to continue production regardless of fuel shortages that have made operating diesel-powered pumps impossible for many.

Yemen is among the most water-scarce countries in the world with less than 5 percent of the world average available per person per year, making irrigation a key concern for farmers. Through the Sana'a basin project, FAO is helping famers apply climate smart agriculture practices to improve productivity and water management.

Keeping livestock healthy and productive is equally important and FAO is working with local partners to hold vaccination campaigns and distribute animal feed.

Finally, fishers who lost their livelihoods in the recent cyclones will be able to go back to sea and fish streams with the help of new equipment.

"Like all aid agencies operating in Yemen right now, we're working under severe limits of movement and access to large parts of the country — so we have to be realistic about what we can deliver," explained Peterschmitt, who added that the current program targets about half a million people.

"But we're seeing the immediate effects that small interventions, like backyard chicken and small ruminant farming, have on families who are now able to eat and sell surpluses to generate income for the family — and we're seizing every opportunity to support communities to continue to produce in difficult circumstances."

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/380653/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/380653/icode/Thu, 28 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMTFAO calls on donors to support Syrian farmers in their hour of need With the war in Syria now approaching its sixth year, agricultural production has plummeted and food supplies are at an all-time low, pushing millions of people into hunger. FAO today called on governments to provide a boost in funding targeted at helping farmers keep their lands in production to prevent the situation from deteriorating even further.

20 January 2016, Rome - With the war in Syria now approaching its sixth year, agricultural production has plummeted and food supplies are at an all-time low, pushing millions of people into hunger. FAO today called on governments to provide a boost in funding targeted at helping farmers keep their lands in production to prevent the situation from deteriorating even further.

The agency's appeal comes ahead of a 4 February international donors' conference in London being convened by the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Kuwait and the United Nations to mobilize support for humanitarian work in Syria.

"The conflict has decimated the agriculture sector, which has had a major impact on food supplies and markets. Currently over half of Syrians remaining in the country are food insecure, with one in three people unable to afford basic foods," said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

As national food production has dropped off, food prices in Syria have soared, he noted, with prices in some markets for wheat flour and rice jumping by as much as 300 percent and 650 percent, respectively, over the past 18 months.

With more than half of Syria's population already in need of food assistance, Graziano da Silva warned that without a surge in funding to support agricultural activities, more farmers will have no choice but to abandon their land and move within the country or across borders.

"Syria needs to produce as much food as possible itself, as aid alone cannot feed the country," the FAO Director-General said, adding that a "serious escalation" of funds to support farming in Syria is needed.

Aid targeting agriculture can prevent hunger's spread

Many farmers in Syria continue to produce, but are struggling to access seeds and fertilizers. Livestock production is in jeopardy as herders cannot source or afford enough animal feed and veterinary services are no longer functioning. Food markets and distribution systems have been severely disrupted.

"Agriculture was, and will remain, the main source of employment in Syria. It is essential in order to feed the country's population now, and it will be key to its future recovery," said FAO Assistant Director-General for Technical Cooperation, Laurent Thomas.

"We must not forget the farmers who remain in Syria and are struggling to keep their lands productive. These farmers are predominantly women — who now make up 63 percent of the agricultural workforce — and are the backbone of Syria's food supply," Thomas said.

Restoring Syrian agriculture wherever possible is significantly cheaper than importing food assistance. For example, $100 in support enables a farmer to produce 1 tonne of wheat, whereas the same amount of cereal is much more expensive to import.

FAO's work in Syria

Despite enormous constraints, FAO continues to support farmers and rural communities in Syria, operating in 13 of the country's 14 governorates, including hard-to-reach areas in the north.

In 2015 alone, FAO significantly increased the number of people targeted, reaching 1.5 million. Among the farming families who have received wheat and barley seeds, it is estimated that they will produce 119,000 tonnes of cereal this summer — enough to feed almost half a million people for a year. In addition, over 9 million animals also received veterinary care to reduce the risk of animal diseases and protect herds.

"While military operations continue to devastate urban centres, in rural areas farmers often have no other choice but to work in the field. For them, access to agricultural inputs is a main challenge," noted Thomas.

To urgently expand its emergency operations in 2016, FAO has appealed for $87 million to support 3 million people within Syria, in addition to $53 million to assist refugees, host communities and other vulnerable groups in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

Despite the sector's importance, emergency agriculture interventions in Syria were over 70 percent underfunded in 2015. Much more can be done, and must be done, to increase food availability in Syria and to strengthen the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods across Syria, thereby helping farmers stay on their land.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/380170/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/380170/icode/Mon, 18 Jan 2016 23:00:00 GMTFAO presents $50 million emergency plan as Ethiopia faces worst drought in 30 years The strongest El Niño weather episode in the last several decades has caused repeated crop failure, decimated livestock herds and driven some 10.2 million people across Ethiopia into food insecurity, FAO said today, as it presented its emergency response plan to urgently protect livestock and rebuild crop production in the Horn of Africa nation.

15 January 2016, Rome - The strongest El Niño weather episode in the last several decades has caused repeated crop failure, decimated livestock herds and driven some 10.2 million people across Ethiopia into food insecurity, FAO reported today as it presented its emergency response plan to urgently protect livestock and rebuild crop production in the Horn of Africa nation.

"The outlook for 2016 is very grim," said Amadou Allahoury, FAO Representative for Ethiopia, adding that "after two consecutive seasons of failed crops, the success of the main cropping season that starts now will be critical to preventing conditions from worsening."

"Continued drought throughout the beginning of 2016 also means pasture will become even more scarce, which will negatively impact livestock keepers that rely on those grazing lands and water points for their food security," he said. "Food overall will become harder to access if we continue to see prices rise, food stocks deplete and livestock become weaker, less productive, and perish."

The El Niño phenomenon is associated with the abnormal warming of sea surface temperature in parts of the Pacific Ocean that has severe effects on global weather and climate patterns — leading to reduced rainfall and drought in some regions and heavy rains and flooding in others.

Under the current El Niño, crop production in Ethiopia has dropped by 50 to 90 percent in some regions and failed completely in the east. The drought resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of livestock.

According to the latest assessments, access to pasture and water will continue to deteriorate until the start of the next rainy season in March. As a result, experts anticipate that livestock will become leaner, sicker and produce less milk and many more will die.

Crop reserves are severely depleted, leaving farmers vulnerable without means of production for the upcoming planting season that starts in March — in many cases, farmers lost valuable seeds through recurrent crop failures, planting time and time again in the hopes of rains that never came.

As a result, malnutrition rates have soared and the number of admissions for severe acute malnutrition among children is now the highest ever reported.

Response plan

The new FAO response plan aims to assist 1.8 million farmers and livestock keepers in 2016 to reduce food gaps and restore agricultural production and incomes.

The first critical phase of the $50 million will focus on the meher season between January and June.

FAO plans to help 131,500 households plant with a focus on the meher season. This intervention will include a mix of emergency seed distribution, small-scale irrigation projects, and backyard gardening initiatives targeted at empowering women's groups with tools, knowledge and access to micro loans.

As the current drought has not only affected smallholder farmers but also seed producers, it has aggravated already existing seed shortages across the country and made it even harder for farmers to plant. For this reason, FAO is also supporting 10,000 seed producers to produce high-quality seeds and get the local market for seeds back on its feet.

Another 293,000 households will benefit from livestock interventions, such as the distribution of emergency animal feed, vaccination drives to protect some 3 million animals against disease, and restocking of 100,000 goats and sheep to vulnerable households.

As many animals have been severely weakened by lack of food and water, FAO will also implement a cash-for-livestock exchange that will reimburse farmers for bringing unproductive livestock to slaughter and support community feed production.

A third leg of the response plan will focus on strengthening livelihoods of more than 30,000 households and build their resilience to future shocks. This will include cash-for-work programs that will boost families' incomes and improve critical local infrastructure and water access for livestock. This part of the plan will also target farmers' and women's groups through integrated community projects that support community savings-and-loan schemes, farmer field schools and other methods to help families accumulate and diversify assets.

Rebuilding now

By focusing specifically on rebuilding the productive capacity of farming and pastoralist families, FAO is supporting ongoing efforts by the Government of Ethiopia, other UN agencies and NGO partners that are tending to the immediate needs of at-risk families.

"In Ethiopia, El Niño is not just a food crisis — it's above all a livelihood crisis. And we need to intervene now to protect and rebuild these livelihoods and people's capacity to produce, to prevent families from becoming long-term dependent on food aid," said Dominique Burgeon, Leader of FAO's Strategic Programme on Reslience and Director of FAO's Emergencies and Rehabilitation Division.

FAO's appeal for $50 million to protect Ethiopian livelihoods comes at a time when international donor funds are stretched thin in light of a multitude of major human-induced crises.

But intervention to secure farming livelihoods now is the best way to help the country bounce back and prevent a further slide into chronic food insecurity, according to Burgeon.

"If response is delayed, recovery will be difficult and the cost of interventions will only increase," he stressed.

Responding to El Niño globally

Elsewhere on the African continent, El Niño has lowered crop prospects in southern Africa and many countries in the region are taking measures. South Africa has already declared drought status for five provinces, its main cereal producing regions, while Lesotho has issued a drought mitigation plan and Swaziland has implemented water restrictions as reservoir levels have become low.

To address the El Niño phenomenon globally, FAO is implementing response plans in 20 high-priority countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the South Pacific, including Ethiopia. Another 21 countries are being monitored closely.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/379999/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/379999/icode/Thu, 14 Jan 2016 23:00:00 GMTEl Niño lowers early production outlook in Southern Africa Crop and livestock production prospects in Southern Africa have been weakened by the El Niño weather phenomenon that has depressed rains and increased temperatures. A reduced agricultural output would build on last year’s disappointing season, which has already contributed to higher food prices and “could acutely impact the food security situation in 2016,” according to a special GIEWS alert.

22 December 2015, Rome - Crop and livestock production prospects in Southern Africa have been weakened by the El Niño weather phenomenon that has lowered rains and increased temperatures.

A reduced agricultural output would follow on last year's disappointing season, which has already contributed to higher food prices and "could acutely impact the food security situation in 2016," according to a special alert released on Tuesday by FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS).

The season for planting maize in Southern Africa has already experienced delays, while crops sown stand to be negatively affected due to inadequate rains and higher temperatures. "It's the sixth week of the cropping season now and there's not enough moisture in the soil," said Shukri Ahmed, FAO Deputy Strategic Programme Leader - Resilience.

The region's small-scale farmers are almost entirely dependent on rain, rendering their output highly susceptible to its variations. While El Niño's impact depends highly on location and season - the impact of El Niño on agricultural production appears more muted in northern areas - past strong episodes have been associated with reduced production in several countries, including South Africa, which is the largest cereal producer in the sub-region and typically exports maize to neighbouring countries.

FAO had already warned in March that the current El Niño would be strong -- and it now appears to be the strongest episode in 18 years. It will peak at the start of 2016, before the usual harvest time for farmers in Southern Africa.

"Weather forecasts indicate a higher probability of a continuation of below-normal rains between December and March across most countries," according to the GIEWS alert.

South Africa has already declared drought status for five provinces, its main cereal producing regions, while Lesotho has issued a drought mitigation plan and Swaziland has implemented water restrictions as reservoir levels have become low.

Increasing prices intensify risks

The likelihood of another poor season is troublesome as it comes on the heels of a poor one that has already depleted inventories, tightened supplies and pushed up local prices. The Subregional maize production fell by 27 percent in 2015, triggering a sharp increase in the number of people already vulnerable to food insecurity in the region.

"Maize prices in southern Africa are really getting high," said Shukri Ahmed. "Moreover, currencies in the sub-region are very weak, which together can exacerbate the situation."

While the drought affects many crops, including legumes, which are an important contributor to local nutrition, maize is grown by 80 percent of the subsistence farmers in the subregion.

Wholesale maize prices are up 50 percent from a year earlier in South Africa, while retail maize prices have doubled in Malawi and Mozambique. As households are already reeling from the previous poor harvest devote more income to basic needs, their access to critical farm inputs - such as seeds and fertilizers - is jeopardized.

Beyond southern Africa, GIEWS analysis of El Niño-related conditions also points to agricultural stress in northern Australia, parts of Indonesia and a wide swathe of Central America and Brazil.

El Niño's effect is also being felt elsewhere in Africa, with FAO field officers in Ethiopia reporting serious crop and livestock losses among farmers and pastoralists.

This month, FAO also issued a warning that there is an increased risk of Rift Valley fever (RVF), especially in East Africa. Outbreaks of RVF, which primarily affects sheep, goats, cattle, camels, buffaloes and antelopes, but can also be lethal to humans, are closely associated with periods of El Niño-linked heavy rainfall, which bolster habitats for the mosquitoes that carry the disease. The options to counter the possible human and animal disease threats include the use of insect repellents in households and vaccination of animals in target areas, but quality vaccines are needed as well as teams to be sent to the field immediately.

Action Plan for Southern Africa

To reduce the adverse effects of El Niño, FAO has already triggered several interventions across southern Africa that are also building on existing programmes following last season's reduced production.

"FAO is working on a twin track approach with governments and other partners across the subregion to address both the immediate and longer term needs. Appropriate crop and livestock interventions intended to minimize the effects are already being up-scaled," said David Phiri, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa.

The focus of immediate interventions includes supporting farmers by providing drought tolerant crops, seeds and livestock feed and carrying out vaccinations. The Organization is also supporting longer-term resilience-building approaches among vulnerable groups, including the rehabilitation of irrigation systems, improving farmers' access to rural finance, and supporting wider use of climate-smart agricultural technologies. Several countries have already produced national plans that address the impact of El Niño on agriculture.

Innovative interventions implemented in southern Africa in recent years have been particularly successful. Many of these good practices, including the rapid expansion of market-based interventions, non-conditional cash transfers and vouchers, adoption of climate smart technologies for both livestock and crop production systems, have been used to good effect in other crises.

"We are grateful for the contributions made by the development partners so far, but there are still significant funding shortfalls. We will need to rapidly adopt and scale up the innovations that have proved successful in the past," said Phiri.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/369894/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/369894/icode/Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:00:00 GMTFAO report: Ukraine’s Donbass farm families living on the edge Skipping meals, migrating to find work, borrowing to pay for necessities, selling their household goods and vehicles, killing their livestock for lack of feed, planting less for lack of seed and fertilizer – these are some of the coping strategies of 230,000 families struggling to get by in the conflict areas of eastern Ukraine.

7 December 2015, Kramatorsk, Ukraine - Skipping meals, migrating to find work, borrowing to pay for necessities, selling their household goods and vehicles, killing their livestock for lack of feed, planting less for lack of seed and fertilizer - these are some of the coping strategies of 230,000 families struggling to get by in the conflict areas of eastern Ukraine.

The results of an FAO household survey released today paint a bleak picture for small-scale, family-run farms in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. The conflict - now more than a year old - has sparked skyrocketing prices for food, fuel, transport, seed, fertilizer, animal feed, and other agricultural and household needs. Economic and security conditions are straining people's ability to adapt.

"This survey has given us a comprehensive analysis of the dimensions, patterns and causes of vulnerability among some 700,000 people in eastern Ukraine," said Vladimir Rakhmanin, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia.

The vast majority of survey respondents are subsistence farmers who produce crops mainly for their own consumption. Even those who produce cash crops or have surplus production face daunting obstacles to selling their produce: lack of transport, high fuel prices, insecurity, distant markets, and low prices at market.

Migration is on the increase, the survey found, and those who remain on the land have a declining capacity to feed themselves.

Until now, external assistance to eastern Ukraine has come mainly in the form of direct food distributions. The survey studied in a detailed way the needs of small-scale farms if they are to maintain their production.

"Family farms in the conflict area have shown resilience in the face of very difficult conditions, but this cannot last," said Farrukh Toirov, FAO emergency response coordinator in Ukraine. "They are being forced to make difficult choices, such as livestock culling, reducing their planted area, or migration. These are decisions that may make sense in the short term, but it means we can expect to see consequences."

Both livestock and crop production will continue to contract, he said, and this could drive food prices even higher. Ultimately, food security hangs in the balance.

The report recommends immediate-term provision of seed, fertilizer and tools in support of crop production, and animal feed, fodder and restocking of animals for continued livestock production.

From its own resources, FAO has already distributed potato seed, animal feed, and live broiler-layer chickens to needy farm households in Donetsk and Lugansk. Now it aims to scale up operations in order to reach more families and enable to them to continue production.

"People should not become dependent on food hand-outs in a land that can produce most of the population's food needs," said Rakhmanin. "We believe there is a significant and urgent need to support the subsistence production needs of the affected populations and stabilize their agricultural activities. FAO has the experience and the expertise to bring practical, timely assistance to those farming households in greatest need. We are actively seeking resource partners to support this effort in Ukraine."

30 November 2015, Paris - FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva speaking today at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP21) appealed to world leaders to show courage and resilience by opting for changes that promote a safer, fairer and more inclusive world.

"There will be no peace without sustainable development and there will never be sustainable development while people continue to be left behind and while people are suffering from extreme poverty and hunger," the FAO Director-General said, adding that "we must demonstrate that we are not afraid" of promoting the changes needed to achieve this.

Graziano da Silva was addressing participants in a COP21 high level meeting on climate resilience and adaptation. This included the launch of the UN Secretary-General's new Initiative on Resilience: Anticipate, Absorb, Reshape (A2R) aimed at boosting countries' disaster risk reduction efforts.

Climate change "affects all of us, but especially the poorest and hungry people," Graziano da Silva said, underscoring how smallholders and family farmers are "in the front line".

The most vulnerable must be helped to adapt to climate change, he added, stressing that in relation to the agricultural sectors, this requires environmentally sound initiatives that must go hand-in-hand with mitigating climate change impacts.

Building resilience by acting before, during and after crises

Droughts, floods, storms and other disasters triggered by climate change have risen in frequency and severity over the last three decades. A recent FAO study shows that in developing countries, some 25 percent of the negative economic impact of these disasters is borne by the crop, livestock, fisheries and forestry sectors alone.

The A2R initiative will accelerate efforts to enhance climate resilience of the most vulnerable by 2020, Graziano da Silva said. FAO is working closely with the other Rome-based UN agencies, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) on a common strategy to build resilience by acting before, during and after crises, he added.

The strategy aims to strengthen the capacities of countries to anticipate and absorb shocks and crises. At the same time it helps countries to sustainably transform the food, agriculture and livelihoods systems that are most at risk.

The FAO Director-General noted how this has already been put in place in Guatemala, Kenya and Niger "with very promising results" and that it is linked to FAO's Relief, Recovery and Resilience Approach which FAO has been successfully implementing in countries such as the Philippines and Vanuatu.

FAO welcomes the opportunity to co-host the A2R secretariat together with IFAD, WFP and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Graziano da Silva said.

He stressed that achieving resilience at scale relies on partnerships across sectors and invited other agencies and organizations to join in the effort.

26 November 2015, Rome - Droughts, floods, storms and other disasters triggered by climate change have risen in frequency and severity over the last three decades, increasing the damage caused to the agricultural sectors of many developing countries and putting them at risk of growing food insecurity, FAO warned in a new report released today ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris.

Worldwide, between 2003 and 2013 - the period analyzed in the study - the average annual number of disasters caused by all types of natural hazards, including climate-related events, almost doubled since the 1980s. The total economic damage caused is estimated at $1.5 trillion.

Focusing specifically on the impact of climate-related disasters in developing countries, some 25 percent of the negative economic impacts were borne by the crop, livestock, fisheries and forestry sectors alone. In the case of drought, over 80 percent of the damage and losses affected the agriculture sector, especially livestock and crop production.

The FAO report is based on a review of 78 on the ground post-disaster needs-assessments conducted in developing countries coupled with statistical analyses of production losses, changes in trade flows and agriculture sector growth associated with 140 medium and large scale disasters - defined as those affecting at least 250,000 people.

The situation is likely to worsen unless measures are taken to strengthen the resilience of the agriculture sector and increase investments to boost food security and productivity and also curb the harmful effects of climate change.

"This year alone, small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists and foresters - from Myanmar to Guatemala and from Vanuatu to Malawi - have seen their livelihoods eroded or erased by cyclones, droughts, floods and earthquakes," said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

"National strategies for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation that support resilience must address the types of disasters with the greatest impact on the agriculture sector, the FAO Director-General said. He noted how sector-specific data on damage and losses are essential for effective policy and practice," and that the FAO study aims to contribute to national, regional and global efforts to develop comprehensive disaster data collection and monitoring systems.

Drought critical in sub-Saharan Africa, flooding and storms are a scourge in Asia

Drought has an especially detrimental impact - around 90 percent of production losses - on agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa where the sector on average contributes to a quarter of GDP, rising to a half when agribusiness is included. At a conservative estimate, total crop and livestock production losses after major droughts were equivalent to more than $30 billion between 1991 and 2013 in the region.

Drought often has a major cascading effect on national economies as shown in Kenya where between 2008 and 2011 it caused significant losses in the food processing industry, particularly grain milling and coffee and tea processing.

Many Asian countries are particularly vulnerable to the impact of floods and storms. For example, crop production losses caused by the 2010 floods in Pakistan directly affected cotton ginning, rice processing and flour and sugar milling, while cotton and rice imports surged. In this case, some 50 percent of the $10 billion in total damages and losses fell on the agriculture sector.

Different disasters require different responses

Understanding the impact of different types of disasters is crucial to ensure that the most appropriate policies and practices are implemented.

Floods cause more than half of the total damage and loss to crops which are also very vulnerable to storms and drought. Around 85 percent of the damage caused to livestock is due to drought, while fisheries are overwhelmingly affected by tsunamis and storms such as hurricanes and cyclones. Most of the negative economic impact to forestry is caused by storms and floods.

Beyond production losses, the study shows how disasters can cause unemployment and erode incomes especially for small scale family farmers, thus threatening rural livelihoods. For instance, the 2010 floods in Pakistan affected 4.5 million workers, two-thirds of whom were employed in agriculture and over 70 percent of farmers lost more than half of their expected income.

Worldwide, the livelihoods of 2.5 billion people depend on agriculture, yet only 4.2 percent of total official development assistance was spent on agriculture between 2003 and 2012 - less than half the United Nations target of 10 percent. Investment in disaster risk reduction is extremely low: only around 0.4 percent of official development aid in 2010 and 2011.

FAO stresses that aid should better reflect the impact of disasters on the agriculture sector.

Investments into disaster response and recovery should also build resilience to future shocks through risk reduction and management measures, particularly in countries facing recurrent disasters and where agriculture is a critical source of livelihoods, food and nutrition security, as well as a key driver of the economy.]]>

FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/345727/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/345727/icode/Thu, 26 Nov 2015 12:00:00 GMTFAO warns that recent torrential rains and cyclones could favour locust surge The locust situation in countries normally affected by Desert Locust remained mostly calm in October with only small-scale breeding activity detected, FAO experts said. They noted however, that this could change, in part due to the impact of El Nino in Africa and the tropical cyclones Chapala and Megh in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa.

11 November 2015, Rome - Unusually heavy and widespread rains that fell recently in northwest Africa, the Horn of Africa and Yemen could favour Desert Locust breeding, FAO warned today, stressing that close monitoring is needed over the next six months to prevent the insects from forming destructive swarms.

The locust situation in countries normally affected by Desert Locust remained mostly calm in October with only small-scale breeding activity detected, FAO experts said. They noted however, that this could change, in part due to the impact of El Nino in Africa and the tropical cyclones Chapala and Megh in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa.

"Extreme weather events, including torrential downpours, have the potential to trigger a massive surge in locust numbers. Rain provides moist soil for the insects to lay their eggs, which in turn need to absorb water, while rains also allow vegetation to grow which locusts need for food and shelter," said Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer.

"The effects of a locust plague can be devastating on crops and pastures and thus threaten food security and rural livelihoods," he added.

After becoming airborne, swarms of tens of millions of locusts can fly up to 150km a day with the wind. Female locusts can lay 300 eggs within their lifetime while a Desert Locust adult can consume roughly its own weight in fresh food per day -- about two grams every day. A very small swarm eats the same amount of food in one day as about 35,000 people.

The impact of El Nino and tropical cyclones Chapala and Megh

FAO has been monitoring the situation in northwest Africa where unusually heavy rains fell in late October over a widespread area of northern Mauritania, the adjacent areas of Western Sahara, southern Morocco and western Algeria and southwest Libya.

In the Horn of Africa, above-average rains associated with a very strong El Nino are predicted over northern Somalia during this winter and next spring. If so, ecological conditions will become favourable for breeding on the northwest coast and the Somali plateau.

Heavy rains associated with tropical cyclone Chapala fell in southern coastal and interior areas of Yemen in early November, followed one week later by tropical cyclone Megh that also affected northeastern Somalia. The torrential rains which far exceeded the annual average rainfall for the entire year caused flooding and damage.

In the winter breeding areas along both sides of the Red Sea, seasonal rains began in early October, which is slightly earlier than normal. If the rains continue, there would be sufficient time for two generations of breeding to occur this year in the coastal areas of Sudan, northern Eritrea, southeast Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Yemen

Climate change and locust prevention and control

Prevention, mainly through early warning and early reaction, is the key in reducing the extent to which Desert Locust can affect agricultural areas. After unusually heavy rainfall, it is imperative that countries mount the necessary field surveys and maintain them on a regular basis for routine monitoring of breeding conditions and locust infestations. The finding of significant infestations requires control operations to avoid a further escalation in locust numbers. It is critical that the results of survey and control operations are reported quickly and accurately so that swift decisions can be taken to prevent the spread of locusts to other countries.

While these measures are believed to have played an important role in the decline in the frequency and duration of plagues since the 1960s, today climate change is leading to more frequent, unpredictable and extreme weather and poses fresh challenges on how to monitor locust activity.

Whereas locust numbers decrease during droughts, locust outbreaks often follow floods and cyclones. If not controlled, these outbreaks can lead to plagues. Temperature on the other hand governs the speed of locust development and warmer conditions could possibly shorten the incubation and maturation periods and lead to a rise in the number of locust generations in a year.

FAO's role

FAO operates a Desert Locust Information Service that receives data from locust-affected countries. This information is regularly analyzed together with weather and habitat data and satellite imagery in order to assess the current locust situation, provide forecasts up to six weeks in advance and if required issue warnings and alerts. FAO also provides training, undertakes field assessment missions and coordinates survey and control operations as well as assistance during locust emergencies.

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/343656/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/343656/icode/Tue, 10 Nov 2015 23:00:00 GMTUN calls for immediate access to conflict-affected areas to prevent catastrophe in South Sudan Three UN agencies today warned that extreme hunger is pushing people to the brink of a catastrophe in parts of South Sudan, as a new analysis found that 3.9 million people nationwide now face severe food insecurity.

22 October 2015, Juba – Three UN agencies today warned that extreme hunger is pushing people to the brink of a catastrophe in parts of South Sudan, as a new analysis found that 3.9 million people nationwide now face severe food insecurity.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) called on the parties to the conflict to grant urgent and unrestricted access to Unity State, where a newly released Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis shows that at least 30 000 people are living in extreme conditions and are facing starvation and death.

Since the war in South Sudan started nearly two years ago, it is the first time that an IPC analysis has found any parts of the population in phase five (“catastrophe”) on the five-point IPC scale.

“This is the start of the harvest and we should be seeing a significant improvement in the food security situation across the country, but unfortunately this is not the case in places like southern Unity State, where people are on the edge of a catastrophe that can be prevented,” said WFP Country Director Joyce Luma. “The people of South Sudan need peace, nutritious food and other humanitarian assistance and livelihood support to survive and rebuild their lives," she added.

Unless unrestricted humanitarian access is urgently granted, the agencies said, food insecurity could deteriorate to famine in parts of Unity State, where humanitarian assistance has been hampered by the dreadful violence and lack of access in recent months. Some displaced families say they survive on just one meal a day consisting of only fish and water lilies.

“Since fighting broke out nearly two years ago, children have been plagued by conflict, disease, fear and hunger,” said Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF Representative in South Sudan. “Their families have been extraordinary in trying to sustain them, but have now exhausted all coping mechanisms. Agencies can support, but only if we have unrestricted access. If we do not, many children may die.”

Throughout the country, the IPC analysis indicates that 3.9 million people in South Sudan face severe hunger. Although the number of food insecure households has decreased - as expected - during the harvest season, it is almost 80 percent higher than in the same period last year, as even people living in states not directly affected by the conflict struggle with its long-term effects, erratic rainfall, depleted livelihood options, high food prices, fuel costs and inflation, in a generally degraded economic environment.

In addition, the IPC highlights that the overall nutrition situation remains critical, with Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) among children under 5 above the emergency threshold in the conflict-affected states of Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity in September, and high in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap throughout the year. The high prevalence is attributed to inadequate food consumption, poor maternal and child feeding practices, illnesses and limited delivery of health and nutrition services.

The three agencies – which work on food security and nutrition – warned that the dire economic situation in the country is contributing to record-high food prices that significantly affect families’ purchasing power and worsening levels of food insecurity. Even areas previously unaffected are now showing signs of severe deterioration, with large proportions of the population in Greater Bahr el Ghazal states in food security crisis.

“Livelihoods have been severely affected by high inflation rates, market disruption, conflict-related displacement, and loss of livestock and agricultural production, said Serge Tissot, the Head of FAO in South Sudan.

“In addition, looking forward to the completion of the 2015 cropping season by the end of the year, a below average cereal production is expected in Uganda the Sudan and Ethiopia, which will further aggravate the food import bill in South Sudan. By creating ways to support crop, livestock and fish producers the resilience of these communities will be strengthened,” he added.

UNICEF, WFP and FAO, together with other UN and NGO partners, are reaching millions of people with lifesaving food, nutrition aid and emergency livelihood kits. The rapid response missions channel assistance to many remote areas otherwise cut from humanitarian relief. Quick support for local food production contributes to the longer-term food security of the most affected people. The agencies called on the international community to provide the resources needed to sustain and expand those lifesaving efforts.

About FAO

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people.

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org or follow UNICEF on Facebook and Twitter

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. Follow WFP on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_africa

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FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom)http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/338209/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/338209/icode/Wed, 21 Oct 2015 22:00:00 GMTGlobal accord demands new approach to hunger and nutrition in protracted crises The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has approved the Framework for Action on Food Security and Nutrition in Protracted Crises, a voluntary agreement offering guidance to address food security and nutrition needs in these challenging contexts.

15 October 2015, Rome - The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has approved the world's first global agreement involving all stakeholder groups on coordinated action to combat hunger and undernutrition among people living in protracted crises.

The Framework comprises 11 principles that recognize the need for coherent and integrated humanitarian and development efforts to address both the immediate and the longer-term food security and nutrition needs of people in protracted crises.

"More comprehensive and effective policies and action will emerge as the result of the high-level political commitment the Framework mobilizes", said Dominique Burgeon, FAO's Strategic Programme Leader on Resilience.

"Building resilience is a critical element of the Framework for Action. Resilient communities have a greater capacity to absorb, prepare for and prevent crises and long-term stresses," he said.

That's a marked shift from focus on short-term solutions, often humanitarian funded, to address long-term problems.

"We need to ‘do business differently' in order to help the most vulnerable and at-risk communities to improve their food security and nutrition," Burgeon said.

Meeting immediate food and other basic needs must be accompanied by longer-term policies, action and investments to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and undernutrition, support local capacities and priorities, and build resilient livelihoods and food systems.

The Framework emphasizes women's empowerment and the agricultural productivity of smallholders, noting that both are often neglected in responses to crisis situations. Over time, protracted crises reverse years of previously accumulated development gains, and undermine livelihoods, making the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating hunger and poverty by 2030 harder to achieve.

The political consensus reached on the Framework for Action can be leveraged by FAO, the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, key CFS stakeholders already working together to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable and at risk people. Working closely with the Rome-based Agencies, implementing the Framework for Action is a priority for FAO.

Strengthening resilience, in all contexts, is vital to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. And a key focus of the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit is the need for collective action by humanitarian, development and other partners to strengthen people's resilience to crises.

The Framework for Action recognizes that all stakeholders need to work differently in protracted crises to improve food security and nutrition.